Contract Journal articles from September 2008

Contract Journal archives from September 2008

H+H Celcon jobs threat as factory faces closure.(01 News)(Brief article)
September 3, 2008... Around 50 jobs could be lost as Aircrete block manufacturer H+H Celcon plans to close its Westbury factory in Wiltshire. The firm has started consulting on the closure, which could lead to a 20% cut in its total workforce. Celcon...

Military victory for Carillion/Babcock.(Royal School of Military Engineering )(Brief article)
September 3, 2008... Carillion and Babcock have landed a [pounds sterling]3bn contract to provide training, training support, infrastructure and services to the Royal School of Military Engineering (RSME) over 30 years. The joint venture, called Holdfast, will...

East Greenwich code level poser.(01 News)
September 3, 2008... Uncertainty surrounded the green credentials of a [pounds sterling]250m sustainable residential development as it won planning permission earlier this week. English Partnerships originally expected First Base's 645-unit 'Heart of East...

Andy Walder named NCC director.(National Construction College)(Brief article)
September 3, 2008... The National Construction College (NCC) has appointed Andy Walder as director. Walder, who was previously commercial manager, takes over from David Boyden, who left the post in July. Walder headed a team that secured [pounds...

Brighton water works resurfaces.(Brighton and Hove city councils plans for sewage treatment)(Brief article)
September 3, 2008... A massive sewage treatment deal that first surfaced more than three years ago is now set to be rebid. The Brighton and Hove wastewater and sludge recycling scheme was initially valued at [pounds sterling]160m, but now weighs in at [pounds...

Tubelines sets its sights on London rail bonanza.(01 News)
September 3, 2008... Underground, Metronet and overground work targeted. carol.millett@rbi.co.uk Tubelines is gunning for Balfour Beatty's [pounds sterling]104m London Underground (LuL) track renewal contract, parts of Metronet's [pounds sterling]1bn...

Metronet work boom worth [pounds sterling]100m-plus.(01 News)(Brief article)
September 3, 2008... More than [pounds sterling]100m of Metronet station upgrade work could be up for grabs this autumn, according to senior rail contractors. Industry sources claim Transport for London (TfL) is looking at packaging up Metronet's [pounds...

Job cuts see bosses back to working on site.(01 News)
September 3, 2008... Former housebuilding bosses are being forced back to work as bricklayers as the downturn in the sector shows no signs of stopping. McCarthy & Stone was the latest firm to cut jobs this week with 200 more redundancies. And recruitment...

Auditors probe 2012 work practices.(01 News)(Brief article)
September 3, 2008... KPMG investigates after unions accuse contractors of not complying with employment terms and conditions. grant.prior@rbi.co.uk AUDITORS from KPMG have been asked to investigate construction working practices on the London 2012 Olypmic...

Retail slowdown takes toll at fit-out firm.(01 News)
September 3, 2008... Styles & Wood to work out cost-cutting efficiencies with suppliers and subcontractors as pre-tax profit tumbles to [pounds sterling]2.4m. grant.prior@rbi.co.uk Fit-out specialist Styles & Wood will be looking to pay its subcontractors...

Migrant site accidents on the rise.(01 News)
September 3, 2008... Fatal site accidents involving migrant workers have increased by 50% over the past year, according to figures from the Health and Safety Executive. Statistics show the number of migrant deaths rose to 12 compared with eight in 2006/07 -...

Ucatt chief receives 8% pay rise.(01 News)
September 3, 2008... Latest figures for Ucatt show that general secretary Alan Ritchie received an 8% rise in his gross salary for 2007. His pay rose to [pounds sterling]66,133 compared with [pounds sterling]61,163 in the previous year. The total value of his pay...

Record profit at Keepmoat.(02 Business)(Financial report)(Brief article)
September 3, 2008... Social housing specialist Keepmoat has reported a record pre-tax profit of [pounds sterling]62m as its profit margin rose to 11.1%. Latest annual results for the 12 months to March show turnover was higher at [pounds sterling]560m from [pounds...

Taylor Wimpey hit by [pounds sterling]1.5bn first-half loss.(02 Business)(Brief article)
September 3, 2008... Taylor Wimpey made a staggering loss of more than [pounds sterling]1.5bn in the first six months of the year. The woeful figures highlight the decimation of the housing market as the firm was forced to write-down land values and factor in...

A low-shrink solution.(08 CJ2)
September 3, 2008... Lafarge has teamed up with a specialist flooring contractor to offer a low-shrinkage concrete for large slabs without the need for reinforcement. James Stagg reports. Extensia was used on the floor in a Telford salt barn for the HA. As...

01 News.(Plans by the Office of Rail Regulation )(Brief article)
September 3, 2008... neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk Plans by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) to force Network Rail to cut disruption from rail engineering works by more than a third have been met with scepticism by contractors. The ORR wants Network Rail to...

Subbies offered online help for cash collection.(01 News)
September 3, 2008... Online payment pack offers subbies a range of standard letters. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk The National Specialist Contractors Council (NSCC) has launched an online toolkit to help subbies struggling to prise cash from main contractors....

Saltex sees 4x4 panel vans in the spotlight.(06 Plant)
September 10, 2008... Saltex saw both Mercedes Benz and Ford displaying their latest 4x4 panel vans. Eighteen months after the New Sprinter was introduced, Mercedes has added a selectable 4x4 option at both 3.5t and 5t. The factory-fit option adds [pounds...

Supatracks to import conversions.(06 Plant)(Brief article)
September 10, 2008... The track conversions significantly reduce ground-bearing pressure. Supatracks is importing a range of bolt-on/bolt-off track conversions for 4x4 machines, which can include road-going pick-ups, utility vehicles, quad bikes, access...

CPA addresses safety of luffing tower cranes.(06 Plant)
September 10, 2008... New guidelines follow findings of the Liverpool crane collapse. colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk Guidance for contractors, crane owners and operators on the safe operation of luffing jib tower cranes has been published by the Construction...

New guidance on lifting when using excavators.(06 Plant)
September 10, 2008... The Construction Confederation (CC) and the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) have publishedGuidance on Lifting Operations in Construction When Using Excavators. The publications is aimed at encouraging best practice throughout the...

Olympic plant supply row heads for courts.(01 News)
September 10, 2008... Nationwide Plant to launch legal action against Morrison. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk A ROW over a [pounds sterling]15m contract to supply plant to the 2012 Olympics site could end up in court. Rainham-based Nationwide Plant boss John...

Building for the future?(The Construction and the Built Environment)
September 10, 2008... Schools secretary Ed Balls kicked off the C&BE diploma last week, but will it attract enough new talent? neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk If Ed Balls was disappointed that 25% fewer students have signed up to the Construction & Built Environment...

Persimmon hits subbies hard.(Persimmon Homes South Midl)(Brief article)
September 10, 2008... Persimmon is asking subcontractors to slash their labour rates as the struggling housebuilder continues to cut costs. In a letter to trade contractors, Persimmon Homes South Midlands said it wanted to recommence work on sites put on stop in...

Polish builders quit UK for work at home.(01 News)
September 10, 2008... Builders stay at home as Polish housing market thrives. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk The exodus of Polish builders is gathering pace as the residential construction market in Poland grows, while the UK goes into reverse. A report by...

Three study for London school.(04 Contracts)
September 10, 2008... Three rivals are swotting up for a [pounds sterling]35m education-sector deal in north London. Norwest Holst, Ardmore and Apollo are in the mix for the design and build of a new Jewish secondary school in Barnet. The task is to...

HBG celebrates [pounds sterling]44m-plus work in Midlands.(Severn Trent Centre)(Brief article)
September 10, 2008... HBG has secured two contracts in the Midlands, totalling [pounds sterling]44m-plus. The [pounds sterling]40m design and build Severn Trent Centre in Coventry will create a new 16,000m2 headquarters for the water utility from mid-2010. ...

Wates heads off five to bag Skipton project.(04 Contracts)
September 10, 2008... Sources say that Wates has seen off five rivals to bag a [pounds sterling]25m new-build deal in Skipton, North Yorkshire. Work is expected to start next month on constructing a new headquarters for the client, the Skipton Building Society,...

Battle hots up for [pounds sterling]45m Midlands fire station work.(Fire Rescue Authority )(Brief article)
September 10, 2008... Fire Support and Kajima await mixed scheme decision. brian.warner@rbi.co.uk Only two groups have any hope of getting to the top of the ladder for a [pounds sterling]45m PFI fire-station deal in the Midlands. Stoke-on-Trent and...

Making the right impression.(09 Focus)
September 10, 2008... While the residential market might have seen a downturn, the workload in other sectors remains strong - and that means firms are still recruiting. As part of CJ's Careers Month, Emma Penny asks consultancies what it means for employers and job...

The right side of the law.(08 CJ2)
September 10, 2008... Unsure where to turn to for legal aid? Contract Journal is the media partner for Legalease's Legal 500, an authoritative listing of the country's top law firms. Read on to find out who you would want representing you should you find yourself in...

01 News.(Brief article)
September 10, 2008... In every firm, there is someone all staff members turn to when they need help or guidance. They may not be the most high profile employee, but without their enthusiasm and experience, the day-to-day running of the business would be hampered....

Kier faces charges over worker death.(01 News)
September 10, 2008... Kier could face corporate manslaughter charges following the death of a construction worker on a Kier Western site in Plymouth last year. Plymouth police have passed papers to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), after a year-long...

Contractors raise fears over health workloads.(01 News)
September 10, 2008... Doubts over amount of work new NHS framework will generate. carol.millett@rbi.co.uk Contractors are warning that the [pounds sterling]1bn NHS Express LIFT national procurement framework will not speed-up the delivery of primary care...

Tube Lines' anger at LUL.(London Underground')(Brief article)
September 10, 2008... Tube Lines chief Terry Morgan has attacked London Underground's (LUL) decision to ask the PPP Arbiter to estimate Tube Lines' future costs on its upgrade contract. LUL insisted that Tube Lines' reluctance to detail projected costs had...

Civils urge quick nuclear deal.(01 News)
September 10, 2008... The Government's new nuclear programme moved a step closer to reality this week as EDF and British Energy edged closer to striking a deal. But civil engineers warned that the programme was moving too slowly and in danger of losing out in...

Merchants to get credit crunch advice.(01 News)
September 10, 2008... Builders Merchants Federation/Bank of Scotland forum organised as member firms struggle to offer credit to contractors. grant.prior@rbi.co.uk Britain's builders' merchants are holding a credit-crunch summit next week to stop the...

Quarry firm fined after worker killed.(01 News)
September 10, 2008... A Cornish quarry company has been fined [pounds sterling]75,000 after a worker was killed after getting caught in a machine designed to crush rocks. Aram Resources of Penryn, pleaded guilty to health and safety breaches following the death...

Miller workers fall foul of hat rules.(01 News)
September 10, 2008... Workers from Miller Construction were ordered-off part of a [pounds sterling]250m shopping centre last week for wearing the wrong coloured hard hats. Miller is main contractor on the Union Square project in Aberdeen, which borders the...

01 News.
September 10, 2008... BERTH DAY Costain started construction last week on a [pounds sterling]250m contract to provide new deep-water capacity at Felixstowe container port. The 30-month job will result in 1,285m of quay dredged to 16m deep alongside, making it the...

Kick-off delayed until late 2009 at Liverpool.(Liverpool Football Club )
September 10, 2008... Contractors predict no work for at least another year at new home of Merseyside giants. grant.prior@rbi.co.uk Laing O'Rourke chiefs believe construction of Liverpool FC's planned new [pounds sterling]350m stadium will not start until...

Calling all heroes.(08 CJ2)
September 10, 2008... Do you know a construction hero? Contract Journal has teamed up with ConstructionSkills, the sector skills council, to hunt for the unsung heroes in the industry. Do you know a building hero? Contract Journal has teamed up with...

Contractors to be charged for levy payment delays.(01 News)
September 10, 2008... Contractors who try to delay or dodge paying the training levy will soon be hit with an 8% interest charge on overdue cash. CITB-ConstructionSkills has approved the introduction of an interest charge on unpaid levy after taking Counsel's...

Ucatt blames CITB for skills card delay.(Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians)(Brief article)
September 10, 2008... Ucatt leader Alan Ritchie is blaming CITB-ConstructionSkills for the smartcard fiasco, which has seen the industry's high-tech version of its skills card delayed for more than a year. Ritchie said: "It is deeply disappointing that...

Conder cuts jobs as demand falls.(02 Business)
September 10, 2008... Structural steelwork specialist Conder is set to make around 60 of its 180 staff redundant following a drop in demand. Workload has fallen by a third, with speculative warehousing and office building the hardest hit. A Conder spokesman...

Nobles director wants local contracts.(Nobles Construction)(Brief article)
September 10, 2008... Bosses at Liverpool contractor Nobles Construction are becoming increasingly frustrated with rival firms swooping in from outside the city and winning local contracts. Director Peter Linford is unhappy that Nobles cannot even get on tender...

The right side of the law.(08 CJ2)
September 10, 2008... Unsure where to turn to for legal aid? Contract Journal is the media partner for Legalease's Legal 500, an authoritative listing of the country's top law firms. Read on to find out who you would want representing you should you find yourself in...

08 CJ2.
September 10, 2008... Tier 1 Berwin Leighton Paisner "Top firm" Berwin Leighton Paisner uses its dominance in real estate as a springboard to advise clients including Transport for London, AMEC and Land Securities Trillium. The "expert" eight-partner team...

06 Plant.
September 10, 2008... In brief Liebherr Rental is fitting its 75 machine fleet with safety equipment supplied and installed by Spillard Safety Systems. These range from seat belts and seat belt lights, through strobe lights and convex mirrors, to rear-view...

04 Contracts.(National Museum of Scotland)(Brief article)
September 10, 2008... In brief Balfour Beatty has won a [pounds sterling]46.4m deal to redevelop the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. The three-year project includes 14 new galleries, discovery centres, a major exhibition gallery, a new entrance and...

04 Contracts.
September 10, 2008... IN BRACKETS Hochtief Griffiths has appointed SGB Formwork to supply its Multiform parapet brackets for the edges of the main Rhymney River Bridge deck at Bargoed, south Wales, as part of the [pounds sterling]25m Angel Way bypass.

Building for the future?(01 News)
September 10, 2008... Schools secretary Ed Balls kicked off the C&BE diploma last week, but will it attract enough new talent? Ed Balls inspects Olympic models at Newham Sixth Form College. Diplomas Q&A Who is it for?GCSE and A-level age students (14-19...

Climbing the ladder: Malcolm Paton, Kendall Cross HoldingsLeavers & Joiners60 seconds on site.(Rock & Alluvium )(Interview)
September 10, 2008... Tony Duggan, site supervisor, Rock & Alluvium (part of the Galliford Try group) Why did you get into construction? I left school in 1964 at 15. I loved working with my hands and woodwork in particular and I started working for the...

01 News.
September 10, 2008... ON YER BIKE Designs for the [pounds sterling]80m London 2012 Olympic VeloPark were unveiled this week. ISG is main contractor on the job. A shortlist was also announced to build the rowing and canoeing centre at Dorney Lake in Windsor....

04 Contracts.
September 17, 2008... In brief Amey has signed a [pounds sterling]150m 10-year highways deal with Plymouth Council. The job includes design and maintenance work on the city's roads network. HBG has a pre-construction contract for a [pounds sterling]33.5m...

04 Contracts.
September 17, 2008... LONG HAUL An extended trailer supports the UK's biggest-ever motorway gantry deal in the UK - 76 gantries manufactured by Kent-based Nusteel Structures will be replaced as part of the Highways Agency's Birmingham Box project. Carillion is the...

06 Plant.(Engcon certifies its S60 fully automatic coupler named Tiltrotator)(Brief article)
September 17, 2008... In brief Engcon, manufacturer of the Tiltrotator, has certified its S60 fully automatic coupler for a 10t safe working load and a proof load of 20t. The S60 fit carriers from 12t to 16t, although Engcon's range spans machines from 1t to...

06 Plant.
September 17, 2008... GOOD TIP Renault is adding a dropside tipper version of its Double Deck Trafic range of pre-bodied vehicles. Beneath the 2.46m x 1.9m tipping body is a 1.25m-wide 'L' shaped drawer with an 1100mm x 575mm cut-out to accommodate the tipping gear...

01 News.
September 17, 2008... RINGING THE CHANGES Killby & Gayford workers are re-installing the original bell dating back to 1631 at Charterhouse Square in London's Barbican. The work is part of a [pounds sterling]140,000 external refurbishment and restoration contract.

01 News.
September 17, 2008... SUPPORT ACT London-based contractor Buildstone is using SGB's lightweight aluminium GASS support legs in conjunction with its DU-AL beams on the [pounds sterling]35m Peterborough Acute Hospital PFI project. Buildstone is constructing concrete...

60 seconds on site.(13 People)(Interview)(Brief article)
September 17, 2008... Barbara Gill, resident liaison officer, Durkan What site are you working on at the moment? East Dulwich Estate. I've been here for a year so far. What's the best building site you have ever worked on and why? I enjoyed working...

Uncertainty over funding of major hospital schemes.(01 News)
September 17, 2008... Will North Tees and Sussex projects take ProCure21 or PFI route? carol.millett@rbi.co.uk Two major hospital schemes worth a combined [pounds sterling]716m are at the centre of a political battle over how they should be funded, industry...

Tube Lines defends costs.(01 News)
September 17, 2008... Tube Lines has defended its controversial estimate of [pounds sterling]7.2bn for the second phase of its London Underground PPP contract. The consortium faced widespread condemnation last week after PPP Arbiter Chris Bolt revealed Tube...

A-Plant recovers stolen skid steer using A-Trak.(06 Plant)
September 17, 2008... A-Plant has traced one of its JCB skid steer loaders stolen in the UK to Sharjah in the Middle East using its A-Trak system and positively identified it using Cesar. Enigma, which hosts A-Plant's A-Trak system, followed the satellite...

Hewlett's fix for quick hitches.(06 Plant)
September 17, 2008... Modifications to Lemac couplers follow recent publicity surrounding semi-automatic hitches. colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk Hewlett Engineering has modified the semi-automatic quick hitches on its excavators to ensure the safety bar cannot be...

Industry 'indifferent' to plant theft, claims TER.(06 Plant)
September 17, 2008... Value of equipment stolen in 2007 rises 11% to [pounds sterling]36.6m. colin.sowman@rbi.co.uk The National Plant and Equipment Register (TER) has accused insurers, owners and users of construction equipment of being "institutionally...

Auger Torque adds fast trencher.(06 Plant)
September 17, 2008... The new attachment deposits soil to one side of the trench. Auger Torque has added a mini trenching attachment its range. The 'spinning wheel' based trencher is said to be three times faster than chain and tooth systems (also offered by...

06 Plant.(Brief article)
September 17, 2008... CS - Normet Finnish tunnelling and mining equipment manufacturer Normet is moving to direct distribution to increase its exposure to customers as it increases investment in R&D. Last year 60% of the company's sales of truck-mounted...

Pegson jaw crusher saves on fuel.(06 Plant)
September 17, 2008... Trials have shown Pegson's X400S jaw crusher is more than 30% more fuel efficient that its competitors, according to its parent company Terex. The machine has a direct drive to the crushing chamber, which gives substantial savings on...

Industry recruitment forecast cut by half.(01 News)
September 17, 2008... Estimate of new recruits required annually until 2013 recalculated due to economic downturn. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.ukroxanne.millar@rbi.co.uk The Construction Skills Network (CSN) has binned a seven-month-old forecast for the number of...

Carillion scales-back building arm offices.(01 News)(Brief article)
September 17, 2008... Substantial office space cuts include closure of Exeter office. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk The South West has become the latest region to see Carillion scale-back its building division, as the company revealed it has cut nearly 40,000m2 of...

Innovate collapse leaves subbies out of pocket.(01 News)
September 17, 2008... Two subcontractors have been left out of pocket to the tune of almost [pounds sterling]700,000, following the collapse of Innovate Holdings' construction arm. The Innovate group, which comprised 15 separate companies including a...

200 staff facing the axe at Miller Group.(01 News)(Brief article)
September 17, 2008... Miller Homes division likely to be hardest hit by cuts. neil.gerrard@rbi.co.uk More than 200 people could lose their jobs at Miller Group after a 30-day consultation on proposed redundancies ended this week. A source told CJ that...

Tube Lines on shortlist for overground rail work.(01 News)
September 17, 2008... But competition is stiff for [pounds sterling]90m maintenance contract. carol.millett@rbi.co.uk Tube Lines has been shortlisted along with Balfour Beatty, Carillion and Colas Rail for London Overground's [pounds sterling]90m rail...

The next skills shortage.(01 News)
September 17, 2008... So what is to become of the next generation of construction staff? It is one of the biggest conundrums facing the UK's construction industry - but one which perhaps few have considered in the current climate of turmoil. This week, the...

Engineering marvel's makeover.(Clifton Suspension Bridge Maintenance Programme)
September 17, 2008... One of the world's most famous bridges is being spruced up. Paul Thompson reports from Bristol, where local landmark the Clifton Suspension Bridge is being resurfaced. For almost 150 years, people have stopped and stared at the Clifton...

B&K gets nod for [pounds sterling]96m West Notts College deal.(04 Contracts)
September 17, 2008... Local firm Bowmer & Kirkland has thwarted rivals including Galliford Try, Miller and Laing O'Rourke and moved to the top of the class for a [pounds sterling]96m college deal in the east Midlands. The West Nottinghamshire College, one of the...

O'Rourke tipped for North Devon College scheme.(04 Contracts)
September 17, 2008... Contractor set to see off four rivals for [pounds sterling]86m project. brian.warner@rbi.co.uk Laing O'Rourke is emerging as the firm most likely to clinch an [pounds sterling]86m college deal in the West Country. Insiders say the...

GB Building wins Northumberland deal.(Northumberland County Council )(Brief article)
September 17, 2008... GB Building Solutions, formerly Gleeson Building, has won [pounds sterling]15.2m-worth of primary schools work as part of the Northumberland County Council framework agreement. The schools, all in Blyth, are Malvins Close and Newsham...

Costain secures Newbury revamp.(04 Contracts)(Brief article)
September 17, 2008... Costain has held off challenges from Bovis Lend Lease and Laing O'Rourke to secure an [pounds sterling]80m deal aimed at revitalising the town centre of Newbury, Berkshire. Work on site for client Standard Life Investments is set to start...

Climbing the ladder: Alan Meek, Smoke Control Services.(13 People)
September 17, 2008... Why did you go into construction? By accident. I left school at 16 with no idea what I wanted to do and after a few factory jobs I drifted into an engineering apprenticeship with a heating firm and ended up specialising in ventilation and...

14 Back Page.(Foreman Architects/Engineers)(Column)
September 17, 2008... The Foreman's got his knockers but he always keeps his promises. Last week, I said I would bring you naked women, after a raft of photos of scantily clad men. And I have well, almost. So here is a gratuitous shot of a female builder...

A rum customer on Jamaican road.(08 CJ2)(Lagan Construction)
September 17, 2008... Imagine a road job where local politicians demand that you change the construction crew every 15km. Now throw in problems with hostile residents, rampant plant theft and endemic late payment. Grant Prior describes highways building...

McLaren gets to work on Wycombe hotel designs.(01 News)
September 17, 2008... McLaren Construction is linking up with developer Pendleridge to work-up designs for a new [pounds sterling]18m hotel development in High Wycombe. The contractor is being brought on board at the design stage to provide advice on the most...