Contract Journal articles from October 2008

Contract Journal archives from October 2008

01 News.
October 1, 2008... TRUE BLUE David Cameron's Tory party launched their bid to woo construction voters at this week's Conservative party conference. Policy pledges included no hidden PFI borrowing, radical carbon saving initiatives and investment in a new high...

04 Contracts.
October 1, 2008... HEALTH CHEQUE ISG has won a [pounds sterling]5.8m deal to build the new Great Horton Medical Centre in Bradford for Ridge Medical Practice. Work on the kidney-shaped building is due to start later this month for completion next summer.

06 Plant.
October 1, 2008... In brief The hire industry has given the first shipments of Hanix's H55DR mini excavator an enthusiastic reception, according to the company. Its new 5.5t machine is said to promises low service and maintenance costs, a long working life...

06 Plant.
October 1, 2008... MAKEOVER Neuson has made several model changes to its mini excavator line-up following the merger with Wacker. Now in a new yellow livery, the excavators' model numbers will be a closer match to the machines' actual weights the 1503 becomes...

Rise to the challenge.(Care 24 Peaks Challenge)
October 1, 2008... Overseas development agency Care International is laying down the gauntlet for the construction industry. It has launched the Care 24 Peaks Challenge, supported by Contract Journal. Are you ready to take the ultimate UK mountain challenge: 24...

01 News.
October 1, 2008... BREAKING WAVES The final pre-cast units from Macrete are lowered into place on the 1000m wave wall being built by Edmund Nuttall for a new deep-water harbour in Great Yarmouth. Main contractors for the new harbour are a joint venture of Van...

60 seconds on site.(Aardvark Concrete)(Interview)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Mick Duignan, general manager, Aardvark Concrete What site are you working on at the moment? One of our current clients is Manchester City Football Club and we recently delivered concrete to the team's Carrington training ground. ...

01 News.
October 1, 2008... In brief Bristol based utility contractor Avent Engineering has gone into administration. The firm carries out maintenance and repair work for utility companies. Clients include National Grid, Wessex Water and BP. Avent recently lost a...

01 News.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... BRIGHT FUTURE Willmott Dixon has taken on its highest ever intake of management trainees, with more than 50 joining in 2008. Group chief executive Rick Willmott (pictured centre) said: "We regard trainees as our lifeblood. No matter how...

Genie revamps telescopic booms.(S-80 and S-85 telescopic booms )(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Genie has redesigned its S-80 and S-85 telescopic booms in line with the S-60 and S-65. Updates include fixed 2.5m-wide axles (for increased durability and speedier deployment), 'virtual pivot' boom assembly (which keeps the weight of the...

Q-Plant takes the UK's first Kobelco 90-tonner.(110t-capacity CKE1100 crawler crane )(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Q-Plant Hire of Manchester has taken delivery of the UK's first new Kobelco 110t-capacity CKE1100 crawler crane (pictured). Filling the gap between existing 90t and 135t models, its tracks hydraulically extend from the 3.5m wide transport...

Lorry loaders brought into line with mobiles.(Construction Plant-hire Associations Crane)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Revisions to BS 7121 will treat truck cranes and mobiles equally. colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk Anomalies in the regulations that allow lorry-loading cranes to undertake big and complicated lifts with minimal or no paperwork are to be ironed...

Investing for success.(01 News)
October 1, 2008... And now for some much-needed good news. Last week's Contract Journal Construction Industry Awards (see p20) was a celebration of all the best of the UK's construction industry, and a great reminder of how many companies are passionate about...

Letters of intent.(10 Legal)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2008... The contractual effect of letters of intent and caps on liability. Diamond said the cap was no longer applicable as Clapham had issued instructions and had placed orders with a specialist window contractor. Letters of intent can be...

Wates tipped to win [pounds sterling]30m Halifax college.(04 Contracts)
October 1, 2008... Insiders are putting their money on Wates to register a [pounds sterling]30m education-sector hit in West Yorkshire. The prize is the design and build of the two-stage tender Calderdale College scheme in Halifax and the word is that pitches...

Decision close on delayed W Yorks housing scheme.(04 Contracts)
October 1, 2008... Kirklees Council set to appoint Bramall JV for [pounds sterling]100m job. brian.warner@rbi.co.uk A frontrunner is finally emerging for a massively delayed [pounds sterling]100m PFI social housing deal in West Yorkshire. Insiders...

Three in frame for [pounds sterling]195m Brum library project.(04 Contracts)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Three firms are vying to book in for a [pounds sterling]195m library replacement project in Birmingham. Sir Robert McAlpine, Laing O'Rourke and Carillion are working up bids for the city council scheme and a winner is expected to surface...

The cream of the crop.(01 News)
October 1, 2008... This year's Contract Journal Construction Industry Awards saw recognition for the best in the business. Read on to see who took the honours CJ Awards 2008 sponsored by: WINNER Major Contractor of the Year sponsored by GenSet Kier...

Clearer guidance on crime record checks for builders.(01 News)
October 1, 2008... Guidance on checking the criminal records of construction staff training work-placement students on the Construction and the Built Environment Diplomas has been published. The guidance has been put together by the Civil Engineering...

Bidders await news on Express Lift.(01 News)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Twenty eight firms are chasing the [pounds sterling]1bn Express Lift framework deal, with a shortlist of between 10 and 20 bidders due to emerge this week. Tim Challis, LIFT Development director at Community Health Partnerships, told CJ...

Bidding frenzy expected for [pounds sterling]4bn Academies work.(Building Schools for the Future)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Up to 10 contractors will be chosen for four-year BSF framework. carol.millett@rbi.co.uk A slew of contractors is expected to bid for the new [pounds sterling]4bn Building Schools for the Future Academies framework, announced by...

Q&A: Cyril Sweett - employee share ownership policy.(02 Business)
October 1, 2008... The majority of Cyril Sweett's shares are still owned by its employees despite the consultancy group having recently floated on the Stock Exchange. How can that be? Prior to flotation, Sweett was wholly employee-owned. It operated an...

14 Back Page.(Contract Journal Construction Industry Awards)(Viewpoint essay)
October 1, 2008... The Foreman's big night out It was time to go a bit upmarket last week and swap my hi-vis vest for the old dickie bow and penguin suit for the Contract Journal Construction Industry Awards. A sea of the industry's finest greeted me as...

01 News.(Workers building stadiums for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa)(Taliban insurgents abducted more than 140 builders from a construction firm in Farah)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... GOOD WEEK Football fans: Workers building stadiums for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa will be given two tickets each to attend the opening game at the venue they built, as a thank you from FIFA. Healthy wards: A Welsh man has...

Gleeson records [pounds sterling]20m loss job cuts forecast.(02 Business)
October 1, 2008... Costs to be cut in anticipation of a tough 12 months ahead. By Steve Menary Gleeson chief executive Paul Wallwork is not ruling out more redundancies after the housing and regeneration outfit crashed into the red. Gleeson, which...

'Blue Book' site accidents down 50%.(01 News)
October 1, 2008... Accident rates on engineering construction sites covered by the Naeci 'Blue Book' agreement have fallen by 50%. Latest figures from the National Joint Council for the Engineering Construction Industry show workloads on site were up by 35%...

O'Rourke bags E Mids land grant.(01 News)
October 1, 2008... Laing O'Rourke has won a [pounds sterling]4.65m grant from the East Midlands Development Agency towards land remediation costs at the firm's planned new manufacturing plant at Steetley on the north Notts/Derbyshire border. Clean-up work on...

O'Rourke tops the construction bosses league.(01 News)
October 1, 2008... But overall, industry managers show a lack of confidence in the leadership skills of construction's biggest names. grant.prior@rbi.co.uk Ray O'Rourke has been named as the most influential leader in construction. But even he had to...

Nuclear war between O'Rourke and Balfour.(01 News)
October 1, 2008... Balfour currently number one player in [pounds sterling]40bn nuclear market O'Rourke eyes top spot. grant.prior@rbi.co.ukcarol.millett@rbi.co.uk LAING O'Rourke is launching a major push into the nuclear sector in a bid to challenge...

Olympic media centre facing cash doubts.(01 News)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Designs may be scaled back as contractors review costings. grant.prior@rbi.co.uk Designs for the [pounds sterling]400m Olympic media centre could be scaled back following fears over funding for the project. A consortium of...

Housebuilders' short-selling blowFSA ban restricted to finance stocks as firms look for ways to survive economic downturn.(01 News)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... grant.prior@rbi.co.uk Financial watchdogs have dashed housebuilders' hopes of their shares being protected from short-selling. Leaders of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) acted last month to ban short-selling in finance stocks...

Fife workers reject pay offer.(01 News)
October 1, 2008... An all-out strike at Burntisland Fabrications yard in Fife, Scotland, is running into its fourth week as workers demand pay-parity with industry-standard rates set out in the Naeci agreement. About 80 permanent site workers are involved,...

Council workers accept 2.45% deal.(01 News)
October 1, 2008... More than 40,000 local authority construction workers are close to accepting a pay increase for this year worth 2.45% on basic rates. The majority of other local authority workers have agreed to suspend industrial action over pay and refer...

Michelmersh records [pounds sterling]480k loss.(02 Business)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Specialist brickmaker Michelmersh has gone into the red with an interim pre-tax loss of [pounds sterling]480,000. Latest figures covering the six months to 30 June show turnover 6% higher at [pounds sterling]13m. There was a profit of...

Job spotlight: Chief executive, B&CE.(B&CE Benefit Schemes)(Interview)
October 1, 2008... What's it like being the CEO of B&CE Benefit Schemes? Without B&CE, many of the operatives and families we help would not have the kind of benefits we provide for them. This basic premise makes it all worthwhile. The job is...

13 People.(Morgan Ashurst has appointed Tasha Passmore)(Morgan Professional Services has appointed Susie Riley as manufacturing logistics consultant)(Speedy Hire has appointed Paul Gott as sales and marketing director )(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Leavers & Joiners Morgan Ashurst Morgan Ashurst has appointed Tasha Passmore as its latest quantity surveyor in North Devon. Passmore will be working on the firm's [pounds sterling]44m Building Schools for the Future scheme, where the...

04 Contracts.
October 1, 2008... In brief Bowmer & Kirkland has scooped a [pounds sterling]30m deal for a Tesco distribution warehouse in Middlesbrough. The build period is 12 months. Local firm Ocon Construction has seen off Galliford Try and Wates to clinch a...

14 Back Page.
October 1, 2008... It's encouraging to see more sustainable buildings being delivered, but as Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) come into force, they threaten to hit the property industry just when it needs help the most. As of today, every building in...

Frameworks rule the South West.(08 CJ2)
October 1, 2008... The South West is split between those on framework deals and those scrabbling for the scraps. Grant Prior says the region is predicted to become a challenging area to work. Contractors hope the planned [pounds sterling]1.5bn regeneration of...

OFT gets tough on housebuilders.(01 News)
October 1, 2008... From March 2010, a new code of conduct will provide better protection for homebuyers. roxanne.millar@rbi.co.uk Housebuilders will struggle to sell their homes if they fail to comply with an industry code of conduct currently being...

Manufacturing firms braced for tough times.(01 News)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Manufacturing firms are "battening down the hatches" as activity and confidence in the industry hits an all-time low, according to the Construction Products Association. The association's activity barometer shows a low of 26 - the lowest...

Woman hurt in air con accident.(01 News)
October 1, 2008... A woman is recovering after being hit by an air conditioning unit that fell from a tower crane in Waterloo, south London last week. She was hit when the unit fell from a luffing jib tower crane on a building site at Prospect House, York...

Glasgow Games stalls over funds.(01 News)
October 1, 2008... The original timetable to build Glasgow's Commonwealth Games athletes village has stalled over funding fears. A shortlist of four consortia to build the [pounds sterling]245m village was announced by Glasgow City Council last week but...

Zero Carbon Hub progress hit by delays.(01 News)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... An independent body set up to guide housebuilders towards zero-carbon targets is watering down its advice to builders as delays on the definition of the standard continue. The Zero Carbon Hub, set up in June to make zero-carbon building a...

Lost pool heat concerns Queen.(01 News)
October 1, 2008... THE Queen has drafted in a German energy-saving specialist in a bid to keep her swimming pool warm. Building products manufacturer Stiebel Eltron has been brought into Buckingham Palace to stop heat escaping from the royal indoor pool. ...

Castle Cement to axe 35 jobs.(01 News)
October 1, 2008... Castle Cement is axing 35 jobs as it struggles to cope with the housing downturn. The workers will be lost from the firm's Ketton plant, where one kiln will be mothballed until the market recovers. A spokesman for the group, which is...

Sheffield Homes to cut staff levels.(01 News)
October 1, 2008... Council housing specialist Sheffield Homes will axe 200 staff over the next 18 months if it cannot reduce costs. The firm said 100 redundancies would be made by March 2009 and another 100 by March 2010 if it could not slash costs or boost...

Robertson axes staff in housebuilding division.(02 Business)
October 1, 2008... Robertson has slashed the workforce at its housebuilding arm by a quarter and the Scottish contractor's new Highlands-based contracting operation is also feeling the pinch. Executive chairman Bill Robertson hoped to achieve a turnover of...

01 News.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... News round-upa*a* A third runway at Heathrow would be scrapped by the Tories, who want a [pounds sterling]20bn high-speed rail line built instead. According to The Guardian, the party wants to spend [pounds sterling]15.6bn between 2015 and...

Skerrit turnover jumps by two-thirds.(02 Business)(Financial report)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... A five-year plan drawn up by the management at Skerritt to double workload is on course, with turnover up by two-thirds. The Nottingham-based maintenance contractor lifted turnover by [pounds sterling]18.1m to [pounds sterling]46.1m in 2007...

04 Contracts.
October 8, 2008... ROAD RUNNERS Bardon Contracting has scooped a [pounds sterling]20m deal to resurface and maintain roads in 10 key areas within Barking and Dagenham Council's network in east London. The job will run for up to three years.

01 News.(Westminster council has launched a legal challenge against Coin Street Community Builders)(cause of fire accidents investigation)(Brief article)
October 8, 2008... In brief Westminster council has launched a legal challenge in a bid to force developers to rethink plans to build the 143m-high Doon Street Tower - even though it will be built in Lambeth. The council said that the Coin Street Community...

01 News.
October 8, 2008... IN STORE Selfridges on Oxford Street is now encased in scaffolding as part of work by specialist Stonewest to stabilise masonry and structural steel on the famous store. The bespoke fully-enclosed scaffold is cantilevered out from the...

Mobiles: overload testing rethink.(06 Plant)(Brief article)
October 8, 2008... Revision of BS 7121 will require thorough examination instead of four-yearly testing. colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk The construction industry must wean itself off a dependence on four-yearly testing of mobile cranes, according to consultant...

Ford to unveil more frugal Fiesta van.(06 Plant)
October 8, 2008... Ford is to introduce an all-new Fiesta van capable of doing almost 70mpg and has launched a new 2.2-litre engine for front-wheel drive Transits. The van is based on the new Fiesta car about to be launched in the UK, with the commercial...

Kubota offers three-year warranty.(06 Plant)
October 8, 2008... Mini excavator manufacturer Kubota has introduced a three-year warranty as standard on all its new machines. Richard Harrison, Kubota UK's sales and marketing manager, said the warranty "shows our confidence in the quality, reliability,...

Jobs in danger as DGT fails.(01 News)(Brief article)
October 8, 2008... Around 150 employees at DGT Steel and Cladding will learn their fate this week after the [pounds sterling]32m-turnover company went into administration. The firm had aimed to increase its turnover to [pounds sterling]42m within three...

Scottish government urged to adopt project back accounts.(01 News)
October 8, 2008... Industry insiders say initiative could save Holyrood between [pounds sterling]500m and [pounds sterling]1bn each year. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk Supporters of project bank accounts hope to persuade the Scottish government to adopt the...

Construction looks set to lose yet another minister.(01 News)
October 8, 2008... Vadera gets promotion to Business and Competitiveness. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk The construction industry faces the prospect of being handed its eighth minister since 2001, following news that incumbent Baroness Shriti Vadera is being...

Social housing clients shunning frameworks.(01 News)
October 8, 2008... Registered Social Landlords putting work out to open tender as downturn hits home. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk SOCIAL housing frameworks are in danger of falling apart as clients turn their backs on established deals to find the lowest...

UCATT voices asbestos compensation fears.(01 News)
October 8, 2008... Union leaders are worried that construction workers poisoned by asbestos will lose out in the government's latest consultation process on compensation for pleural plaques sufferers. The union has been leading a campaign to overturn last...

Brown & Mason profit boost.(01 News)(Financial report)(Brief article)
October 8, 2008... Brown & Mason, the demolition contractor, has enjoyed a rise in pre-tax profit to [pounds sterling]1.4m. The group's latest figures cover the 12 months to 30 April 2008. Turnover ran to [pounds sterling]31m, which was [pounds...

Hit the ground runningGraham Wren CV.(16 Profile)(Interview)
October 8, 2008... Since its launch last year, Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering has steadily built up its expertise. Graham Wren tells James Stagg that with the division's new geo-environmental service, it can now take on any ground engineering job. We're...

bullivant and buchan.(08 CJ2)(Interview)
October 8, 2008... Roger Bullivant says the secret to any successful project starts with solid foundations. He tells James Stagg that it needn't come with any environmental cost. Bullivant lays the foundations "I have a motto: don't believe anything...

BAM closes on Islington deal.(BAM Construction contracts for office buildings)(Brief article)
October 8, 2008... It is understood that BAM Construction (formerly HBG) has reached the second-stage tender point on a [pounds sterling]75m office development in Islington. This looks like the end of the road for John Sisk, understood to be the only other...

Buckingham bags Brighton FC stadium project.(04 Contracts)
October 8, 2008... The Buckingham Group has netted a soccer stadium deal, estimated to be worth at least [pounds sterling]40m. The Buckinghamshire-based contractor has defeated opponents Sir Robert McAlpine and Barr in the contest to build a new stadium for...

Three chase Midlands streetlighting scheme.(04 Contracts)
October 8, 2008... Coventry council narrows field for [pounds sterling]65m-plus PFI deal. brian.warner@rbi.co.uk Three rivals have moved into the spotlight for a [pounds sterling]65m-plus PFI streetlighting deal in the Midlands. From an original...

01 News.
October 8, 2008... MINI MAYFAIR Fondedile has installed a new foundation package for the redevelopment of 150 New Bond Street in Mayfair, west London. The job involved the installation of 24 mini-piles inside the original building, prior to demolition, and a...

History in the making.(08 CJ2)
October 8, 2008... Used in Roman times as a store for brushwood and other wood fuels outside the city walls for local bakeries, Chester's Gorse Stacks is being prepared for its latest incarnation. Juliet Davies explains. Once we've finished the piling, we'll...

Unions target civil engineering growth.(01 News)(Brief article)
October 8, 2008... Union leaders are drawing-up plans to focus the economy on five new growth areas including civil engineering. TUC policy analysts are working on the proposals with the Centre for Economic and Business Research. The move comes in the...

Concern over numbers for diploma.(01 News)
October 8, 2008... The Government has done a U-turn on its promise to reveal student numbers on the Construction and the Built Environment (C&BE) Diploma by the end of September. The move has increased industry concerns that the uptake is poor. The...

Balfour and CDC stung by hotelier plight.(01 News)
October 8, 2008... Balfour Beatty and Irish firm CDC Group have been hit by the collapse of buy-to-let hotelier GuestInvest, after administrators mothballed three hotel schemes in London worth a combined [pounds sterling]35.5m Balfour's [pounds sterling]20m...

Express Lift could get stuck.(01 News)
October 8, 2008... Contractors fear the credit crunch and ProCure21 competition could peg back workloads. carol.millett@rbi.co.uk The credit crunch and competition from ProCure21 could limit workloads under the [pounds sterling]1bn NHS Express Lift...

Morgan Ashurst wants a slice of Academies work.(Building Schools for the Future contracts Morgan Ashurst )(Brief article)
October 8, 2008... Contractor eyes place on line-up for [pounds sterling]4bn BSF framework. carol.millett@rbi.co.uk Morgan Ashurst is chasing a place on the new [pounds sterling]4bn Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Academies framework. The firm...

ProCure set for expansion beyond NHS.(National Health Service)(Brief article)
October 8, 2008... A massive expansion of the [pounds sterling]2.9bn NHS ProCure21 framework is planned when the contract is retendered next year. The new contract, likely to be called ProCure21 Plus, will allow all local authorities and government...

Moving on.(01 News)(Editorial)
October 8, 2008... It's just over three years since London won the 2012 Olympics, and about the same length of time since I started editing Contract Journal. But this is my last column as I move on to another sector, and I have to say, it has been an...

14 Back Page.(Editorial)
October 8, 2008... Naked ambition First up this week, some tragic news. I have discovered what must surely be the worst effect of the construction downturn so far - sales of the Daily Sport have dropped. It seems that in these new times of austerity, it...

01 News.(Brief article)
October 8, 2008... GOOD WEEK Old walls: Urgent structural repairs to 1,700-year-old walls that surround Chichester can begin, after the Heritage Lottery Fund donated [pounds sterling]685,000 for the work. The walls are said to be the most intact circuit in...

Unsafe car park in Nottingham is condemned.(01 News)
October 8, 2008... A multi-storey concrete car park at a hospital in Nottingham has been shut down after it was found to be in danger of collapsing. Health chiefs at the Queen's Medical Centre ordered the immediate closure of the 1970s structure last week...

Potential buyers taxi up for Gatwick Airport sale.(01 News)
October 8, 2008... Laing O'Rourke considers joining list of Gatwick bidders. grant.prior@rbi.co.uk SOME Heavyweight contractors are lining up to buy Gatwick Airport. German giant Hochtief has already confirmed its interest in a [pounds sterling]2bn...

Metronet workers may strike over suspended rep.(01 News)
October 8, 2008... Thousands of Metronet tube infrastructure workers are threatening to strike after a safety rep was suspended for not wearing a hard hat. The RMT union will ballot its entire 2,500-strong Metronet membership following the suspension of Andy...

01 News.(WS Atkins has acquired MG Bennett)(Pay levels for construction professionals are continuing to rise )(Brief article)
October 8, 2008... National Grid's Electricity Alliance contractors will reap the benefits of an additional [pounds sterling]10bn of work aimed at upgrading the grid to take on new nuclear and offshore windpower sources. The additional funding is on top of the...

Funding blow for Brighton development.(01 News)
October 8, 2008... Brighton and Hove City Council will meet next week to consider the future of its [pounds sterling]300m King Alfred centre development after Dutch bank ING withdrew funding for the mixed leisure and housing seafront project. In a double...

Taylor Wimpey on rocky ground.(02 Business)(Brief article)
October 8, 2008... Taylor Wimpey is facing a race against time to secure financial backing. The company needs to complete discussions with a myriad of debt providers before 7 February or the current holders of [pounds sterling]450m of bonds could ask for...