Articles by Date : July 19 2004 - July 25 2004

ECITB aiming for 25% more apprentices
The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) is aiming to step up its recruitment of apprentices this year by 25%. more
(23 July 2004 14:36)

Bowmer & Kirkland drives off with £62m Rolls-Royce contracts
Bowmer & Kirkland has beaten strong competition from several national construction companies to win two major contracts worth £62m from.... more
(23 July 2004 13:10)

Ask in best practice hunt
Ask Developments is looking for two main contractors to bring current best practice thinking on supply chain management to its projects. more
(23 July 2004 12:56)

B&CE's pension programme
B&CE Benefit Schemes has launched a nationwide employee presentation programme to inform staff about pension arrangements. more
(23 July 2004 12:55)

More spa woe for Mowlem
Mowlem has come under fire from Bath & North East Somerset Council for its failure to provide a comprehensive construction programme for its £36m.... more
(23 July 2004 12:54)

Ben Bailey's healthy margin
Housebuilder Ben Bailey lifted its operating margin to 21.9% last year, well ahead of the 2002 figure of 16.4%. more
(23 July 2004 12:53)

Council 'wobbles' on £2.2bn highways PFI
The UK's largest PFI highways contract is on the brink of collapse after the local council decided to take "time out" to review the project. more
(23 July 2004 12:53)

Battle hots up for £12m MoD hangar projects
Ten contractors have got their call-up papers for two Ministry of Defence hangar projects worth more than £12m in total. more
(23 July 2004 12:52)

Bluestone project running over
The construction of the London Centre for Nanotechnology by Bluestone is running six months later than expected and £2m over budget. more
(23 July 2004 12:51)

GCE adds Bell B30Ds to fleet
GCE Hire Fleet has purchased its first Bell machines, in the shape of six B30D articulated dump trucks. more
(23 July 2004 12:51)

Poly Hi Solidur's tough body liner
Sticking loads in tippers is a thing of the past, according to John Watkins, sales and marketing manager for Poly Hi Solidur UK, which is marketing.... more
(23 July 2004 12:50)

Construction has key role in plastic coatings
The construction industry is a key area for the future of developments in plastic coatings in western Europe, according to a survey by Information.... more
(23 July 2004 12:50)

Shortlist finalised for Sheffield regen
Amec, Lovell Partnerships, George Wimpey and Urban Splash have all been shortlisted to redevelop Park Hill in Sheffield. The four companies were.... more
(23 July 2004 12:49)

Costain plans acquisitions en route to £1bn turnover
Costain is considering a return to the housebuilding sector - some 11 years after selling its homes business. more
(23 July 2004 12:48)

Bust-up brews at Cottam over safety issues
A major row is brewing at the Cottam power station site over allegations of safety violations and drug abuse. more
(23 July 2004 12:48)

Network Rail to flex muscles on plant hire
Rail unions have warned of redundancies and tighter revenues for contractors supplying Network Rail (NR) with maintenance plant. more
(23 July 2004 12:47)

Building sites are bad for kids
Affordable housing provider Lovell has produced an animated cartoon film designed to drive home the message to young children that building sites are.... more
(23 July 2004 12:46)

Small and medium firms' overheads at all-time high
Input costs for small and medium-sized construction firms increased in the last quarter to their highest ever level. more
(23 July 2004 12:46)

OPERC's oil and crane guides
The Off Highway Plane and Equipment Research Centre (OPERC) has introduced two new publications: a guide to understanding oil analysis and a.... more
(23 July 2004 12:45)

Roads contractors eye major bonuses
Highways contractors could pocket windfalls of up to 70% of project cost savings under new bonus schemes set up by the Highways Agency (HA) across.... more
(23 July 2004 12:44)

Kier profit boosted by regional results
Kier has issued a trading update saying that it expects to report a full-year profit well ahead of last year's figure. No detail is given but the new.... more
(23 July 2004 12:41)

Plant hire report highlights industry's top performers
Laing O'Rourke's plant fleet was the top performer in the latest Plant Hire Investment Report from Catherine Stratton. The company's gross book value.... more
(23 July 2004 12:38)

HA seeks 'confidence' in bidders for ECI schemes
The increasing number of changes made to delivery teams after contracts are awarded on major highways projects has forced the Highways Agency (HA) to.... more
(23 July 2004 12:37)

Parent protest cuts Argyll and Bute £75m PFI to 17 schools
The scope of the £75m Argyll and Bute alternative PFI scheme has been drastically reduced from 29 schools to just 17. more
(23 July 2004 12:37)

GSE plant hire expands with Murston purchase
Construction group GSE has almost doubled its plant hire capacity with the acquisition of Murston Plant. Both companies are based in Ashford, Kent. more
(23 July 2004 12:36)

Jarvis faces caning from four PFI schools
Several schools involved in Jarvis's £105m Brighton PFI are threatening legal action against the contractor if it fails to complete works in time for.... more
(23 July 2004 12:36)

Ringway reaps congestion benefit
Blacktop contractor Ringway enjoyed a leap in turnover last year to £78m, largely as a result of winning a stream of projects to deliver the.... more
(23 July 2004 12:35)

UK slammed over plant theft record
The UK has the worst record in Europe when it comes to stolen plant. This was the stark message delivered by Surrey Police detective inspector Stuart.... more
(23 July 2004 12:34)

Bovis subcontract gets mixed reaction from CCS
The Confederation of Construction Specialists (CCS) has praised and criticised Bovis Lend Lease's amended standard form of subcontract in equal.... more
(23 July 2004 12:34)

Companies face workplace disputes trap from October
Unwary employers can find themselves on a hiding to nothing if they fail to provide a formal written procedure for the resolution of disputes at.... more
(23 July 2004 12:33)

Post-repudiation adjudication
The recent case of Connex South Eastern -v- MJ Building Services Group considered the requirement for an agreement to be in writing within the.... more
(23 July 2004 12:32)

Brent in move to curb trip hazards
The London Borough of Brent may turn to Fibre Reinforced Paving (FRP) to reduce trip hazards after a successful project using the product was.... more
(23 July 2004 12:30)

Enterprise and Cobalt talks stall over TUPE
A further breakdown of talks over terms and conditions between unions, Enterprise-Liverpool and Cobalt Housing Association has delayed the transfer.... more
(23 July 2004 12:30)

Producers refute MI5 claims of 'lethal' concrete barrier
Construction materials producers have responded to MI5 advice this week on which is the best material to protect against terrorist attack. more
(23 July 2004 12:27)

Rok consolidates with Dickie purchase
Rok Property Solutions has bought John Dickie Construction for £750,000. The move adds £35m to Rok's annual turnover and gives it a stronger position.... more
(23 July 2004 12:27)

VO25 excavator widens Ammann's options
Ammann will launch the VO25, a 2.6t zero tailswing excavator, next year to plug the gap in its product range. While the new machine will have all the.... more
(23 July 2004 12:25)

Roads contractors eye major bonuses
Highways contractors could pocket windfalls of up to 70% of project cost savings under new bonus schemes set up by the Highways Agency (HA) across.... more
(23 July 2004 12:20)

Airport death firms fined £54,900
Gareth Pugh Steel Framed Buildings and Primary Design and Build have been fined a total of £54,900 at Liverpool Crown Court for the death of Ian.... more
(23 July 2004 12:20)

Healthy orders for steel contractors
The latest half-yearly state of trade survey by the British Constructional Steelwork Association (BCSA) shows increasing levels of demand for.... more
(23 July 2004 12:19)

Alltek's spray-on coating
Fillers and coatings company Alltek UK has launched a product to compete with traditional gypsum plasters. more
(23 July 2004 12:19)

Amec nets Thames meter deal
Amec has tapped into a Thames Water framework contract, believed to be worth up to £50m. The performance-related deal, which could run for up to 10.... more
(23 July 2004 12:18)

Ashtead produces a profit but exceptionals take a heavy toll
Ashtead Group's results for the year ending April 2004 saw it make a return to profit, before exceptionals and tax, at £7.6m compared to a £1.8m loss.... more
(23 July 2004 12:18)

Bradford withdraws from Northern batch
The beleaguered Northern batched PFI scheme has been slashed by another £50m following Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust's decision to withdraw.... more
(23 July 2004 12:17)

Best practice jobs deal for £220m Brighton scheme
What is believed to be a unique best practice agreement on construction site training and employment conditions between a private developer and a.... more
(23 July 2004 12:16)

Specialist firms and CC settle Forum fees
The National Specialist Contractors Council (NSCC) and the Construction Confederation (CC) have finally decided to pay their Strategic Forum.... more
(23 July 2004 12:16)

Civils rescues Birse's results
Losses in Birse's building business deepened in the year to 30 April 2004, from £6.4m last year to £8.7m, but the group was buoyed by a strong.... more
(23 July 2004 12:15)

Moxy restricts UK sales for higher margin
ADT manufacturer Moxy has decided to restrict its sales efforts in the UK because it is able to achieve better margins with the sale of its products.... more
(23 July 2004 12:15)

GPT runs rule over Bovis
General Property Trust (GPT), the Australian real estate giant considering a £2.6bn takeover bid from Lend Lease, is running its rule over Bovis Lend.... more
(23 July 2004 12:14)

Interior profit hit by litigation
Interior Services Group (ISG) has warned that the prospects outlined in its latest trading update, issued on 4 June, have been dampened by a £1.2m.... more
(23 July 2004 12:14)

Mowlem offloads gas assets
Mowlem Energy has sold its entire portfolio of gas transportation assets to the Gas Transportation Company (GTC) for up to £1.9m in cash. more
(23 July 2004 12:13)