Articles by Date : December 04 2006 - December 10 2006

Skanska buys McNicholas Plc for £50m
Skanska UK has bought McNicholas Plc, the "Brown Macs", for approximately £50m. The acquisition, completed today, 8 December, will see McNicholas Plc.... more
(08 December 2006 10:45)

New construction orders increased 5% in three months to October
New construction orders increased 5% in value to £11.5bn in the three months to October compared with the same period a year ago, according to the.... more
(07 December 2006 12:00)

Scott Wilson Group completes two acquisitions at cost of £30m
Scott Wilson, the consultancy group, has announced that it has completed two more acquisitions at a total cost £30m. Safely on board are Cameron.... more
(07 December 2006 10:00)

Planning changes and a focus on sustainability on public projects announced in Pre-Budget speech
Changes to the planning system on making decisions on major infrastructure projects and a focus on sustainable procurement in the public sector were.... more
(06 December 2006 13:28)

Jarvis makes interim pre-tax loss of £1.5m
Jarvis believes it has successfully stepped back from the brink of extinction. Latest interim figures show a pre-tax loss of just £1.5m, well down on.... more
(06 December 2006 10:00)

Site contamination issues not to blame for Lemley departure
Higgins denied that the departure of former Olympic Delivery Authority chairman Jack Lemley had been triggered by concerns over site contamination. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Hodge: cut back on trade bodies
Construction minister Margaret Hodge has told the construction industry that it needs to integrate some of its many organisations if it is to be able.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

T Clarke hit by increasing copper costs
The disjointed methods of buying copper in the various regions of T Clarke, the electrical specialist contractor, has magnified the stresses caused.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Bids invited for 2012 power contract
The Olympic Delivery Authority has called on the industry to plug into a mammoth multi-million pound combined energy and utility DBFO contract for.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Industry embraces Eddington Report
Construction industry representatives have welcomed the focus a key report looking at modernising the UK transport network has given to planning and.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

NR calls Balfour for 'robust' talks
Balfour Beatty has been called in for what the company described as "robust and direct" discussions with Network Rail (NR) after over-running.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Editor's comment: Why Eddington must drive forward
For the general public, last week's Eddington Report had only one outcome - that they were going to have to pay to use the roads. That's about all.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

ODA sets standards for Olympics work
Procedures set out to ensure high standards of work and safety on 2012 contracts. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

More news in brief: 6 December 2006
Round-up of further news from CJ dated 6 December 2006. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Constructing Excellence devises 25-year infrastructure plan
The industry is to draw up its own 25-year plan for UK infrastructure to help influence the government's spending plans in future years. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

NFB blasts government for housing micro-management
The National Federation of Builders' (NFB) House Builders Association has slammed the government's Planning Policy Statement for Housing (PPS3),.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Network Rail warns against repeat mistakes
The industry needs to overcome several of its "negative tendencies" to reduce future costs on the rail network, according to Network Rail (NR) chief.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Back bites and other bits: 6 December 2006
Back bites and other bits from the CJ issue dated 6 December 2006. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Crossrail project on track for approval
There have been just 399 petitions lodged so far against London's £10bn Crossrail project - remarkably fewer than the 1,000 lodged against the.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Thames Gateway housing must be creative
Companies looking to invest in providing accommodation as part of the Thames Gateway development will need to stop being obsessed about fire.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Heritage concerns hinder Tube PPP
Issues over heritage and changes to the scope of stations on the 30-year Tube PPP are partly to blame for the problems being encountered by infracos.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Highways Agency: 'We want more'
The Highways Agency (HA) has once again urged highways contractors to help get a greater grip on cost estimating, cost challenging and cost control.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

R McAlpine JV in hotseat for £25m Redcar hospital deal
Sources say that the client is now only talking to a Sir Robert McAlpine/Ryhurst pairing for a £25m PFI deal to build a 32-bed community hospital at.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

New standards for reinforced fill
New standards for the construction of reinforced fill have been published by the British Standards Institution as BS EN 14475: 2006. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Duo vie for £50m eduction PPP
Two firms have gone head to head in the contest to chalk up a re-jigged PPP schools deal for West Lothian Council. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Sir Robert bags £200m Rock Triangle scheme
Sir Robert McAlpine has edged out its only remaining rival, Laing O'Rourke, to bag a £200m mixed-development deal aimed at breathing new life into.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

5.3%profit for James Latham
Timber importer and distributor James Latham posted a 5.3% boost in pre-tax profit to £2.9m in the six months to 30 September. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Steel workers facing compulsory training
Firms have seven months to certify teams working on transportation steelwork. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

New report adds fuel to the concrete vs steel price war
The ongoing price war between concrete and steel took a fresh turn last week when a new report showing that concrete could be 5% cheaper than steel.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Nuttall and HBG post 3.5% margin
HBG UK and Nuttall have notched an average operating margin of 3.5% during the past nine months, according to financial figures released by their.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

G Osborne hits fast lane for Wilts bypass
Geoffrey Osborne has raced past five challengers and is well on the way to clinching a troubled £26m deal for a new bypass in Wiltshire. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Glazed cladding: A clear winner (Roofing and cladding special report)
The pressures of climate change and energy legislation are driving innovation in the glazed cladding market. Helen McCormick speaks to contractors,.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Hewden stays quiet on 'for sale' rumours
Plant hire giant Hewden has refused to comment on rumours that it is for sale. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Willmott Dixon first past the post for Epsom revamp
Willmott Dixon has scooped a £27.6m deal to revamp one of the world's most famous racecourses. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Carillion claims £360m Norwich Union scheme
Carillion has scooped a £360m support services deal with insurer Norwich Union. The key feature of the new contract will be the construction of six.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Rok pins growth on people and outlets
Rok's long-term objective is to increase the number of its branches to 100 and to see staff numbers quadruple to 10,000. On top of all that growth,.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Accord on track for £8m pre-tax profit
Accord's pre-tax profit should rise this year to a figure close to £8m, said chief executive Philip Fellowes-Prynne. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

PAIG: wear a safety harness
The number of people killed by falling from certain types of lifts will be discussed at an emergency meeting of the Powered Access Interest Group.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Filter helps avoid LEZ charge
Particulate filter manufacturer EHC said fitting one of its systems to older trucks will allow it to operate in Transport for London's proposed Low.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

New exhibitors at SED 2007
SED, the national event for construction, is now into its 41st year - and it continues to grow, attracting new products and new exhibitors with each.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Plant news in brief: 6 December 2006 p 11
Stories on… Facelift, Greenmech, Kings Transport and Utranazz. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

TER misses out on deal for plant registration
It is business as usual for TER (The Equipment Register) despite not being awarded the data handling contract for the plant registration scheme. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Plant news in brief: 6 December 2006 p 10
Stories on… Robert Taylor, Bobcat, and Crane Care. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

MCG CPCS card deadline dilemma
The Major Contractors Group (MCG) is adamant that from 1 January its members will not allow individuals who do not hold a valid recognised card to.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Flat roofs: Ply high (Roofing and cladding special report)
Flat roofs haven't traditionally had a great image, but increasing demand for safety and sustainability makes one area of the market optimistic about.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

One Coleman Street: Shining in the City (Special report on roofing and cladding)
For a new landmark building by London Wall, use of offsite prefabrication was driven not so much by the need for speed, as by aesthetics. Phil Bishop.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Renew sees light at the end of the tunnel as profit rises
Renew is well on its way to recovery following what has been a difficult period, said chief executive Brian May as he unveiled a pre-tax profit of.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Wirtgen in mineral deal with Kleeman
Wirtgen Group has bought crushing and screening manufacturer Kleemann, as it turns its attention to the minerals market. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

60 seconds on safety: Juls Davis, health and safety manager, Cuddy Group
Juls Davis, health and safety manager, of the Cuddy Group answers questions on health and safety topics. more
(06 December 2006 00:00)

Mazda BT50 makes its debut
Mazda has replaced its B2500 pick-up with the BT50. Sharing its architecture with Ford's Ranger, the BT50 offers more power, greater economy and.... more
(06 December 2006 00:00)