Contract Journal articles from September 2004

Contract Journal archives from September 2004

HAUC recommends further tests on single-drum rollers.(Highway Authorities and Utilities Committee )(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... n Manufacturers urge HAUC to issue a clear statement and claim further testing is 'a waste of time' and money. Further tests on single-drum rollers have been recommended by the working party of the Highway Authorities and Utilities...

Atlas Copco release new Brazor grinder.(Brazor electric grinder)(Atlas Copco)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Atlas Copco has introduced a new Brazor electric grinder offering more power (2.9kW) and less weight (2.9kg) than its predecessor - allowing single-handed grinding in confined spaces. The new models are said to have a small anglehead to...

Liebherr turnover up 9%.(Liebherr Group)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... The Liebherr Group increased turnover by 9% in the first six months of the year to [pounds sterling]1,3bn, compared to the previous six months. The company said growth was significantly stronger in construction machinery and that it expected...

Caterpillar launches final B-series range telehandler.(Caterpillar)(TH580B)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Caterpillar has completed its eight model B-series telehandler range with the launch of the TH580B. Available in the UK from the end of the year, the TH580B is the largest machine in Cat's range and has 5t-rated capacity and a maximum lift...

Two new Bobcat tracked loaders.(T180)(T190 machine)(Kubota 45.5kW )(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Bobcat has expanded its range of compact tracked loaders with the launch of the new T180 and an enhanced version of the T190 machine. Powered by Kubota 45.5kW direct injection diesel engines, both units have been designed for a wide range of...

FTA launches guide for driving at work.(United Kingdom Freight Transport Association)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Compliance guide compiled to combat industry road fatalities. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has launched a new compliance guide highlighting the risks of driving at work. According to the FTA there are some 300 deaths in the...

Contractors urged to form early supplier partnerships.(Office of Government Commerce)
September 2, 2004... Association advises government to decide early on teams for public sector contracts. Contractors could be working with materials suppliers when bidding for public sector contracts if the government takes heed of advice from the...

Emcor ties up [pounds sterling]11m CTRL contract.(Emcor Rail)(Channel Tunnel Rail Link)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Emcor Rail has coupled up to an [pounds sterling]11m mechanical and electrical deal on the second phase of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) project. The contract, awarded by Rail Link Engineering, centres on two stations currently under...

Bilfinger nets [pounds sterling]95m Kent schools job.(Kent Education Partnership )(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... A group headed up by German firm Bilfinger Berger has chalked up success on a [pounds sterling]95m PFI schools deal in Kent. The county council has registered the Kent Education Partnership (KEP) as its preferred bidder for a scheme to deliver...

Five local firms bidding for M1 Herts upgrade.(Hertfordshire, England)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... n Four joint ventures and one solo firm to bid for M1 junctions 6A to 10 upgrading. Five contractors with local connections are to bid for a massive improvement deal on the M1 in Hertfordshire. Skanska, Laing O'Rourke and Sir Robert...

Three in the running for [pounds sterling]60m Worcester PFI deal.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Worcester County Council has ticked off the names of three groups to pitch for its [pounds sterling]60m-plus PFI schools deal. The line up for the Bromsgrove Grouped Schools scheme is Axiom (headed up by Galliford-Try), Equion/Laing O'Rourke...

Deals done.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... First Volvo for AM Dagg AM Dagg Plant Hire of East Lothian has purchased its first Volvo excavator. The 14t Volvo EC140BLC features a low-emission six cylinder engine and has a 9.34m-reach when fitted with a 3m dipper arm. Robert...

Down tools, it's tee time!(Golf)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Golfers are urged to book early for construction's most eagerly awaited tournament - the Contract Journal European Golf Challenge. This year's event takes place from 24 to 26 November in Brittany, France. For just [pounds sterling]125 per...

Editor's comment.(Construction Industry Training Boards)(Levy)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... CITB plays poker with levy The CITB's warning that levy rates may have to increase by 40% is an interesting all-cards-on-the-table gamble. It has been lobbying the government for [pounds sterling]60m of extra public funding to meet the costs of...

Council refutes firms' prequal complaints.
September 2, 2004... n Contractors may turn their backs on [pounds sterling]20m-a-year Gloucestershire highways contract. Gloucestershire County Council has dismissed contractors' complaints that its [pounds sterling]20m-a-year, 10-year highways maintenance...

In brief.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... [pounds sterling]1.5m fund-raising scheme from AFI Aerial Wakefield-based AFI Aerial Platforms has completed a [pounds sterling]1.5m fund-raising process with Northern Venture Managers. Following the investment, AFI plans to open three new...

In brief.(Contracts)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Willmott Dixon wins social housing deals Willmott Dixon has won four social housing contracts in London. The largest is a [pounds sterling]10m scheme for Warden Housing at Rayners Lane, Harrow, involving the demolition of the current building...

Lovell and Mears bag [pounds sterling]108m housing deal.(Cross Keys Homes)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Lovell and Mears have been named preferred contractors for [pounds sterling]108m-worth of housing upgrade work in Peterborough. Housing association Cross Keys Homes, which will take over the city council's stock of 10,000 properties in October,...

Mowlem loses appeal against CSW solicitor.(Neil F. Jones & Co.)(Commissioning South West)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... n Judge decides firm cannot sue its subcontractor's solicitor for failing to advise its client. Mowlem has lost its appeal against a court decision made last November that stopped it from suing a subcontractor's firm of solicitors....

Archibalds signs up as supply partner to Hewlett.(Hewlett Civil Engineering)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Hewlett Civil Engineering has continued to review its supply chain management and has signed a partnered alliance agreement with Durham-based builders' merchant Archibalds. The two companies have worked together for six years. Archibalds civil...

John Laing profit up 143%.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... John Laing enjoyed a 143% boost in pre-tax profit to [pounds sterling]13.1m as its PFI work delivered healthy returns in the six months to 30 June. Turnover increased 37% to [pounds sterling]270.5m. The accommodation business' profit increased...

CC apologises for Ramesys investigation.(Construction Confederation)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... The Construction Confederation (CC) has been forced to make a public apology to Ramesys for the way it launched an investigation into its software. The climbdown comes after Ramesys threatened to sue the CC (CJ 4 August). The row centred on a...

Review demands 25% cut in New Cross Hospital PFI.(Private Finance Initiative )
September 2, 2004... n Wolverhampton and Walsall NHS Trust insists key elements of scheme and original timetable will be retained. The [pounds sterling]317m New Cross Hospital PFI scheme is facing massive cuts of up to 25% following a review of health provision...

TradePro recovers debt.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... PKD Property Maintenance has successfully engaged TradePro to chase its outstanding payments stemming from a factory project. Stafford-based PKD was owed more than [pounds sterling]4,000 and it was made clear by the client that this was...

High musculoskeletal risk for road workers.(The Health & Safety Executive's Occupational Statistics Bulletin 2003/04)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Road workers are 16 times more likely to suffer from musculoskeletal disorders than workers in most other industries. The Health & Safety Executive's Occupational Statistics Bulletin 2003/04 shows a total of 196 musculoskeletal disorder cases...

In brief.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... University offers [pounds sterling]25m to [pounds sterling]30m contract The University of East London is looking for a contractor to build 800 student bedrooms on a brownfield site in Docklands in a contract worth [pounds sterling]25m to...

Onsite materials testing can save subcontractors time and money.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Onsite materials testing can help contractors solve problems earlier and avoid costly investigations, testing company Bureau Veritas Laboratories has claimed. Uxbridge laboratory manager Roger Rattue said contractors waste much of their...

Lafarge Roofing invests in new tile to meet PPG3 regs.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Lafarge Roofing has developed a tile to respond to local authority planning criteria. The company has created a large-format, interlocking tile, which looks like a traditional plain tile, to meet the requirements of the new PPG3 planning...

No two things the same.
September 2, 2004... Refurbishing properties in Eaton Square, building a new floor in a Grade II listed Victorian Church in London's East End, working with social housing providers and fitting out a famous chain of hairdressers: does Balfour Beatty Refurbishment...

Park life.(refurbishment)
September 2, 2004... Geraldine Faulkner went to London's Roehampton village to see how YJL Construction is converting Grade I listed Parkstead House, a former Jesuit novitiate, into a functioning university building. Among the most over-used phrases in the...

Pier pressure.
September 2, 2004... Part of the [pounds sterling]8m revitalisation of the seaside town of Cromer included the refurbishment of the town's Pavilion Theatre on its pier. Mowlem had to work through the winter to ensure the project was handed over in time for the...

Morgan Vinci reinforces its sinking road.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Morgan Vinci is hopeful that it will deliver its [pounds sterling]55m Southern Distributor Road PFI in south Wales on time, despite an area of the road sinking recently. Last month, it was discovered that a section of the new road in Newport...

In brief.(Jarvis Highways Inc., Kent County Council, contract )(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Jarvis meets its banking conditions Jarvis has agreed its revised banking arrangements. A Jarvis statement read: "These arrangements have now been fully documented and all conditions precedent met." Kent offers info on [pounds sterling]500m...

Second secondment for Evans.(Department of Trade & Industry)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Dr Rodger Evans, head of strategy at the Department of Trade & Industry's (DTI) Construction Sector Unit, is being seconded to Constructing Excellence as its deputy chief executive. Evans, who was head of the construction sector unit at the...

Carillion case goes to appeal.(Sheffield Employment Tribunal)(Carillion-owned Skyblue agency)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... UCATT has lodged an appeal against a Sheffield Employment Tribunal ruling that an operative supplied by the Carillion-owned Skyblue agency to the associated Carillion railtrack maintenance division was not entitled to pursue an unfair dismissal...

Station deal is year's biggest.(Michelmersh)(Charnwood Forest Brick)(Grade I listed St Pancras Station)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Michelmersh won one of the biggest specialist UK brick contracts awarded so far this year when its Charnwood Forest Brick division got the green light to supply facing bricks for the Grade I listed St Pancras Station in London. The contract is...

Sustainable construction centre gets the go ahead.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... The first sustainable construction centre in the South West is set to go ahead now that funding has been found for the project in Somerset. The South West regional development agency, Somerset Learning and Skills Council, Somerset College of...

Johnston Group settles for Tarmac's [pounds sterling]53m bid.
September 2, 2004... n Chances of competition referral reduced as original bidder Ennstone buys a second Johnston quarry for [pounds sterling]11m. Tarmac's [pounds sterling]53m offer for the John-ston Group, trumping Ennstone's existing [pounds sterling]48m bid...

The recovery of management costs.
September 2, 2004... Resolving disputes on construction contracts is costly and time consuming. In certain cases, the time that management devotes to the dispute may also be severely disruptive to the ongoing business. The parties will therefore want to take into...

CITB floats levy rise for fully trained workforce.(Construction Industry Training Board)
September 2, 2004... n Employers are unlikely to back the 40% levy rate rise needed for all workers to be fully qualified by 2009. Big increases of up to 40% in training levy rates may be needed if the industry is to meet its objective of achieving a fully...

Safety campaign begins in Glasgow.(The Working Well Together Roadshows)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... A nationwide campaign aimed at reducing accidents on construction sites was launched in Glasgow this week. The Working Well Together Roadshows will visit seven regions. This follows two more deaths in Scotland last month, bringing the total to...

Michelmersh enjoys float.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... n Hand-made specialist brick firm uses cash for faster modernisation of group's plants. Floating on AIM - the junior section of the Stock Exchange - in May has been a roaring success for Michelmersh Brick. A producer of hand-made...

Mitie buys out subsidiaries.(MITIE Group PLC)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Mitie has announced it will spend [pounds sterling]3.5m to buy out most of the minority shareholdings in five of its subsidiaries. The largest of the five, Mitie Air Conditioning (North), installs air conditioning systems in the north of...

Connaught expands with two Welsh gas services purchases.(Connaught)(Gas Care)(Building Services Training)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Connaught, the support services group, has expanded its position in Wales through two acquisitions, costing a total of [pounds sterling]1.6m. Both provide gas, heating and maintenance services to the social housing sector. Gas Care employs 220...

Persimmon margin up even further to 22.7%.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Housebuilder Persimmon has raised its game yet further, according to the latest figures. Interim financial results (six months to 30 June) reveal an operating margin of 22.7%. In the same period last year, the figure stood at 19.4%, itself a...

Skanska break-in: thieves caught on CCTV.(Skanska site)(Whittlesey waste water treatment plant)(Cambridgeshire police )(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Police have released CCTV footage of two men after thieves broke into a Skanska site in Cambridgeshire and made off with around [pounds sterling]25,000-worth of equipment. Burglars broke into the Whittlesey waste water treatment plant between...

Balfour trio head for Semple.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... Semple, the M&E specialist, has poached a trio of top management from Balfour Kilpatrick's northern office. The moves helped Semple complete a major structural shake-up that was initiated when Gordon McKie first arrived as chief executive....

60-second interview.(Brief Article)(Interview)
September 8, 2004... Mike Philo, training and human resources manager, Seddon (Stoke) What is your greatest work achievement? I was 19 when I moved from factory floor operative to training instructor. I thought I'd made it because I had to wear a tie to work....

Amec runs up a [pounds sterling]5m loss.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... Amec has unveiled its latest interim results for the global group showing a huge turnover of [pounds sterling]2.2bn, but the end result was a pre-tax loss of [pounds sterling]5m. Chief executive Sir Peter Mason said: "Our exit from low-margin,...

Roger Bayliss to lead BAA expansion plans.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... BAA has appointed Roger Bayliss group construction director to lead the airport company's construction activities across its seven UK airports, excluding T5. Bayliss will arrive in early November from the MTR Corporation in Hong Kong, where he...

Bell rings the changes with new product range.
September 8, 2004... Following a period of uncertainty, manufacturer announces plans to broaden offering. Following the ending of talks that could have resulted in a change of ownership, South African ADT manufacturer Bell Equipment is set to start marketing...

Bovis Homes' first-half margin going strong at 25.6%.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... Bovis Homes hit an operating margin of 25.6% during the first half of the year, as the housebuilder's pre-tax profit roared ahead to [pounds sterling]67m. In the six months to 30 June, turnover was [pounds sterling]270m, a rise of [pounds...

Alarm works on mobile networks.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... Secure Box and Box Telematics have launched a wireless alarm system for portable accommodation. The device, known as secureBox, has sensors that react as soon as an intruder is detected. These send a signal, which is transferred as an alarm...

Nationwide boom for Bristol bridge.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... Nationwide access has supplied contractor Ian Williams with a 62m truck-mounted Skylift access boom for a major repainting job of the Pero footbridge in Bristol. The access machine was used with its 34m reach fully extended to assist workmen...

Howard Stott sends in Daewoos for mill job.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... Howard Stott Demolition is using three Daewoo excavators to demolish a 150-year old cotton mill near Colne, Lancs. Specialising in city centre and high-rise contracts, Howard Stott currently has a fleet of five Daewoo machines, ranging in size...

Liebherr truck debuts for Lafarge.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... The first Liebherr HTM 1204S 10m3 capacity articulated truck mixer has been delivered to the Lafarge Readymix fleet. This new generation of mixer is fitted with UK road regulation running gear. Weightlifter Traders of Scunthorpe has mounted...

Warning to lorry-loading crane users.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... Users of large lorry-loading cranes are being warned that they may be breaking the law if they place loads anywhere but adjacent to the vehicle. Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) members expressed concern that one-man operated lorry...

Depot target near as Brandon buys Delco.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... Brandon Hire's 130 depot target is in sight following [pounds sterling]4m deal. Brandon Hire said it is closing in on its target of having 130 depots by the end of 2004 following the acquisition of the Delco tool and cabin hire business...

Access market on the up.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... The UK access market, which is currently suffering from over-capacity, will see significant sales increases in the next two years due to the imminent Working at Height Regulations (WAHR), according to the latest report by AMA Research. The...

Finning to distribute Perkins engines.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... Finning International is to take over the distribution of Perkins engines and parts for the UK in December. The company has been awarded exclusive distribution rights for Perkins engines and parts, which were previously handled by three...

Construction pays dividends at Barr.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... n Surge in demand means more estimators and tender planners. The sort-out needed to put Barr, the Ayrshire-based construction group, back on its feet has paid off handsomely with a pre-tax profit of [pounds sterling]5m. The result...

Specialists voice fraud Bill concerns.
September 8, 2004... n New Bill will implement a clampdown on fraud by false representation in construction. The Specialist Engineering Contractors' (SEC) Group has warned that fraud cases in construction will increase if a new Bill becomes law. The Home...

Trust lines up prequals for NI PPP schools deal.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... St Canice's Educational Trust is in the process of putting together a list of prequalifiers for a repackaged PPP schools deal in Northern Ireland. Sources say the line-up for the Derry Diocese scheme is likely to include the Northwin...

Jarvis in contention for south Wales rail scheme.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... Troubled contractor makes the six-strong shortlist for [pounds sterling]30m-plus rail regeneration project. Jarvis is included in the line-up for a unique rail deal in south Wales. Six contractors are set to pick up the tender paperwork...

Four tap into [pounds sterling]600m Yorks Water works.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... Four groups have bagged a contract for [pounds sterling]600m-plus of work for Yorkshire Water over the next five years. The line-up for the Asset Management Period 4 (AMP4) is: Costain in joint venture with Haswell Consulting Engineers; MMB...

Countryside shares rocket upon rumours of an MBO.(management buy-out)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... Alan Cherry, who founded Countryside Properties and floated it on the Stock Exchange in 1972, has launched a bid to take the housebuilding group back into private ownership. Now chairman of Countryside, Cherry's management buy-out (MBO) is...

Adjudication paper on hold again.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... The industry's eagerly-awaited consultation paper on adjudication and late payment is likely to be delayed until next year, according to sources. It was anticipated that the paper, which was generated from Sir Michael Latham's review group...

Doubts over dispute regulations.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... New regulations designed to ease the load on Employment Tribunals by encouraging the wider resolution of industrial disputes at workplace level could backfire, according to Gerry Lean, director of industrial relations at the Construction...

Editor's comment.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... Crisis of confidence Sections of the construction industry have voiced concerns before about their capacity to deliver on major public sector construction initiatives. But never have those concerns been so aggressively stamped on, which tells...

London electricians set for 16% pay increase.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... The electrical contracting Joint Industry Board has confirmed a three-year pay deal that will see the national rates increased by a total of 14% - with London electricians winning a pay rise of 16%. Nationally, rates of pay will increase by...

Employer's PPE liability.
September 8, 2004... It is often said that some of the most important legal cases result from trivial causes. Perhaps none could be more trivial than the case of Fytche -v- Wincanton Logistics, considered in July of this year by five law lords sitting in the House...

Hole lot ; of digging.
September 8, 2004... Developers and archaeologists might be said to have mutually exclusive goals. But if archaeologists are involved early in the planning process, both sides can get what they want. James Atkinson pays a visit to the Merton Abbey Mills site in...

Heywood battles on as PVC market takes a dip.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... The PVC construction materials market has suffered a decline of more than 5%, fabricator and manufacturer Heywood Williams (HW) has claimed. Chief executive Robert Barr said the firm noticed the drop mostly in the windows market, but expects an...

LGS eyes quick fix for digital levelling.(Leica Geosystems)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... Leica Geosystems (LGS) hopes to bring the digital age to onsite levelling and flooring. LGS will bring an electronic level to the construction market next month, which is aimed at processes such as flooring and brickwork. The company currently...

Opinions not worth reporting.(Letter to the Editor)
September 8, 2004... Sir, I was most surprised to read the eye-catching headline on page 1 of the 18 August issue, including the word 'piss'. I cannot recall ever seeing the word spelt in full, even in the tabloid press, and mused on your motives for doing so in...

Bid costs need to be reduced.(Letter to the Editor)
September 8, 2004... Sir, At a time when many contractors are facing increasing pressure to contain their bid costs, I'm surprised and concerned to learn that changes under the European Commission's (EC) public procurement directive could see costs escalate for PFI...

Ads are not good for your health.
September 8, 2004... Sir, I have to agree with fellow readers Jan Ellis and John Wormersley (CJ 25 August) that adverts are not designed to advertise good health and safety practice, but products and services. You have only have to look across the letters page of...

Make safety boardroom's priority.(Letter to the Editor)
September 8, 2004... Sir, I am writing to set out clearly my long interest and involvement with the issue of corporate manslaughter (CJ 28 July). In 1992 I founded the Parliamentary Group on International Safety, CSI. This followed the death by carbon monoxide (CO)...

Future unclear for TUPE'd staff.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... Job uncertainty still surrounds 12 workers transferred from the jv partnership of Enterprise-Liverpool to new contractors as part of a [pounds sterling]5m-a-year housing contract for Cobalt Housing Association. Last month (CJ 18 August) it was...

M1 documents soon.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... The Highways Agency is expected to release tender documents for its [pounds sterling]100m to [pounds sterling]120m early contractor involvement contract to improve junction 19 of the M1 within the next few days. The HA has received 10...

MACs to be extended.(Managing Agent Contractor)
September 8, 2004... n Contractors and consultants to benefit from two-year extensions worth between [pounds sterling]20m and [pounds sterling]30m a year. Most of the Highways Agency's (HA) nine Managing Agent Contractor (MAC) agreements will be given their...

NFB urges Blair not to move Griffiths.(National Federation of Builders)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... The National Federation of Builders (NFB) has this week written to Prime Minister Tony Blair urging him to keep current construction minister Nigel Griffiths in post pending his expected ministerial reshuffle this month. Following strong...

SH Structures aims to give Olympic bid added steel.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... SH Structures-supplied steelwork is being erected by Galliford Try on a project that may support London's Olympic bid. The contractor is six months into the project to build a 3,100m2 indoor athletics centre and 850m2 netball and badminton...

Products firms head for Europe to slash costs.(RB Farquhar)
September 8, 2004... RB Farquhar sets up [pounds sterling]3m Czech operation in bid to cut down on distribution costs. Building products firms are finding it easier to avoid distribution costs by setting up in central Europe, rather than dealing directly with...