Articles by Date : April 07 2003 - April 13 2003

CLASP continues partnership with Skanska
Skanska’s successful partnership with CLASP has been rewarded with a two-year extension to the framework agreement. more
(11 April 2003 17:18)

Network Rail fined £15,000 for inadequate fencing
Coventry magistrates court has emphasised the dangers of crime on the railways and the importance of effective management of lineside security after.... more
(11 April 2003 16:51)

Government could face court over White City project
The European Commission (EC) has announced that it is pursuing legal action against the UK for failing to carry out an environmental impact.... more
(11 April 2003 16:07)

Plant inspection service launched
Independent Scottish insurance broker, The JW Group, has introduced an inspection service that checks plant conforms to the appropriate regulations.... more
(11 April 2003 15:38)

Topcon offers automated machine control system for excavators
Machine control specialist Topcon has introduced the TS5-3DMC, said to be the first fully automated machine control system for excavators. more
(11 April 2003 15:32)

Allenbuild has just right chemistry for £5.7m contract
Allenbuild has secured a £5.7m contract with the University of York, for the design and build of its new state-of-the-art chemistry department. more
(11 April 2003 15:16)

Contractor fined £1,750 after woman hit by scaffold board
Sansom Construction has been fined £1,750 for breaching health and safety legislation after a member of the public was struck by a falling scaffold.... more
(11 April 2003 10:28)

Galliford's jv partner sells stake for £3.6m
Galliford Try’s jv partner to develop the former Fairfield Hospital site near Letchworth, Bedfordshire, has sold its 50% share of the jv for £3.6m.... more
(11 April 2003 10:03)

Speedy Hire sees 7% rise in like-for-like sales
Tool hire firm Speedy Hire has today (Friday) revealed that like-for-like sales are up 7% in the 11 months to February. more
(11 April 2003 09:59)

ACE calls for "holistic approach" in response to OFT insurance report
The Association of Consulting Engineers (ACE) has called for a "more holistic approach" to the management and insurance of risks in its response to.... more
(11 April 2003 08:17)

Steelwork regeneration gathers pace
National house builder and property developer Wilson Bowden Developments has today (Thursday) been granted outline approval for the regeneration of.... more
(10 April 2003 16:32)

JCB ram raiders snatch £500k
Armed ram raiders made off with an estimated £500,000 from a security van earlier today (Thursday) - after using a JCB digger to smash it open. more
(10 April 2003 15:37)

Campaign to out counterfeit tools a huge success
A campaign against counterfeit power tools launched in January is hugely proving successful, with around 40 prosecutions already in various stages.... more
(10 April 2003 14:26)

DTI appoints construction insurance expert
The Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) has appointed an insurance expert to help contractors get insurance cover. more
(10 April 2003 13:10)

Budget 2003: no change is good news
The Budget should serve as a boost to the construction industry in several ways, promising fast-track planning applications in the poorest parts of.... more
(10 April 2003 12:32)

Budget 2003: the view from Grant Thornton
Kathryn Hiddleston, partner at Grant Thornton, noted that while the Chancellor was keen not to rock the boat, he did address some construction topics. more
(10 April 2003 12:31)

Hewden shakes-up management
Hewden Stuart has announced a shake-up of its senior management structure in a move to modernise the way the company is run. more
(10 April 2003 11:34)

£1m worth of JLG booms for A-Plant
The increasing importance of attachments in the powered access market has been underlined by A-Plant Powered Access's purchase of £1m-worth of JLG.... more
(10 April 2003 11:33)

National funding is still the big issue
Although a pilot regional health scheme is set to go ahead, funding of a national scheme remains the key issue. more
(10 April 2003 11:33)

Fluctuating prices in building products
The cost of coated roadstone has increased while crushed rock and sand and gravel rates have fallen. more
(10 April 2003 11:32)

Pensions, PFI and profits
Favourable trading conditions in 2002 means contractors have now had two good years in a row. Strong demand and rising margins resulted in many.... more
(10 April 2003 11:32)

HBG's safety record wins Asda approval
HBG's promise that the health and safety of its workforce is its top priority has helped the contractor to reduce accidents by 30% in the past 12.... more
(10 April 2003 11:31)

Health scheme to slice £300m off sickness bill
A full-scale occupational health scheme for the construction industry would cost £80m a year to run, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has been.... more
(10 April 2003 11:31)

Birse takes lead in Sheffield
The short-term prospects for the structural steel market are grim, according to the latest report from Market & Business Development (MBD). more
(10 April 2003 11:30)

Structural steel set for short-term fall
The short-term prospects for the structural steel market are grim, according to the latest report from Market & Business Development (MBD). more
(10 April 2003 11:29)

HA is urged to use asphalt and concrete in new roads
Government plans to replace concrete surfaces on motorways and A-roads with quieter materials does not mean the end of the road for concrete.... more
(10 April 2003 11:29)

Peri looks to civils for future work
Formwork specialist Peri feels the commercial office market has peaked and is expecting future work to come from the civils side of the industry. more
(10 April 2003 11:28)

Safety improves
Last year's dramatic reduction in construction fatalities was achieved through a real improvement in site safety, according to Contract Journal's.... more
(10 April 2003 11:27)

Amec wins Dartford cable job
Amec has wired up to a £16m National Grid cable replacement programme in Dartford, Kent. more
(10 April 2003 11:27)

Staff bill take toll on Weeks' profit
The Weeks Group's profit in the year to 31 March 2003 will be less than expected, forcing the consultancy to issue a profits warning to the City. more
(10 April 2003 11:26)

Boot Homes gets new owner
Wilson Bowden has snapped up the homes division of Henry Boot, the Sheffield-based construction group, for £48m. more
(10 April 2003 11:26)

Cowlin: desperately seeking staff
Cowlin Construction is close to being snowed under with work. The firm is busy recruiting staff in all its four offices in the South West of England,.... more
(10 April 2003 11:25)

Housebuilders 'not sexy' enough for City
Housebuilders are unloved by the City, according to this year's Top 50 Unloved Companies Index (UCI). more
(10 April 2003 11:25)

Court project delays could deter bidders
Potential bidders are warning that massive delays in proposed major private finance courts deals could lead to contractors shying away from the.... more
(10 April 2003 11:24)

Trio awaits Northern Ireland schools work
Three groups will pick up the tender paperwork later this year for a £34m private finance education deal in Northern Ireland. more
(10 April 2003 11:23)

Skanska wins LNG work on Isle of Grain
Skanska has clinched two turnkey contracts on the Isle of Grain, Kent, worth £80m. more
(10 April 2003 11:12)

Network Rail names four firms for power upgrades
Consortia featuring Balfour Beatty, Mowlem, Peterhouse and Amec have signed framework deals with Network Rail to continue the upgrade of power supply.... more
(10 April 2003 11:10)

Mansell pulls plug on maintenance
Mansell has pulled out of the maintenance market where losses of £2.5m last year pulled the group's pre-tax profit back to £8m. Chief executive.... more
(10 April 2003 11:10)

£9m fund to get workers qualified
Construction employers are being urged to "get in quick" to take advantage of a new initiative designed to increase the number of qualified workers.... more
(10 April 2003 11:09)

Unsuccessful bidders get second chance with BAA
Contractors will be given a second chance to team up with BAA through its multi-million pound frameworks, according to group construction director.... more
(10 April 2003 11:01)

Tax Facts: everything you need to know about the Budget
Did the Budget confuse you? Don't know your taper relief from your Climate Change Levy? Then worry no more: Contract Journal has teamed up with Grant.... more
(10 April 2003 10:59)

SED to show off Kubota's sub-5t excavator range
Kubota's complete range of sub-5t, zero tail swing mini excavators will be on show at SED 2003 later this month. more
(10 April 2003 10:59)

Robertson fined £20k for site death
Elgin-based Robertson Group has been fined £20,000 after a worker died on one of its sites in July 2002. more
(10 April 2003 10:58)

ProCure 21 cuts DTCs
A £600m plan to deliver a host of Diagnostic and Treatment Centres (DTCs) under the NHS Estates ProCure 21 programme has been slashed by two-thirds..... more
(10 April 2003 10:58)

Manchester LIFT prefers ExcelCare consortium
Equion's consortium ExcelCare has won preferred bidder status on the lucrative £90m Manchester, Salford and Trafford NHS LIFT in a neck-and-neck race.... more
(10 April 2003 10:58)

Time is tight for Crossrail
Time is running out for Crossrail to be included in the next parliamentary session, following the delay of the decision on the scheme's final route.... more
(10 April 2003 10:52)

Bidders cry foul over M25/T5 award delay
The rumour mill has started to turn following the three-month delay in awarding the £144m, M25 widening (junctions 12-15) and Heathrow T5 Spur Road.... more
(10 April 2003 10:52)

Playing the waiting game
The theme of this week's news in Contract Journal is "delay". This is not by design. It just happens that several of the lead stories are about.... more
(10 April 2003 10:49)

DfES reveals four school LIFT pilots
A £5.1bn programme to rebuild the nation's secondary schools using the NHS LIFT initiative as its model was launched this week with four pilot.... more
(10 April 2003 10:49)

June launch for three church schools pilot schemes
Three pilot schemes for privately financed bundles of Church Schools, procured in an NHS LIFT style, are to be launched this June. more
(10 April 2003 10:48)