NEWSBRIEF

DOUBLE BUY FOR HANSON

Hanson pulled off two deals last week to expand its aggregates businesses in the UK and the USA. It paid an undisclosed sum to Hewden Stuart for the Brindister quarry near Lerwick in the Shetland Isles that produces a high quality stone which is used in high-skid-resistant road surfacings. One day later Hanson paid $44 million (£28.2 million) for California-based marine-dredged aggregates supplier Tidewater Sand and Gravel and affiliated company Moe Sand.

CUTHBERTSON MERGES WITH MAUNSELL

Environmental engineering consultant RH Cuthbertson and Partners has merged with consulting engineer Maunsell. The Edinburgh-based firm will trade as Cuthbertson Maunsell and be part of Balfour Maunsell - Maunsell's environmental arm.

WELTON TO HEAD BICC

Mike Welton, currently chief executive of contractor Balfour Beatty, will take over as chief executive of BB's parent BICC in August. The move is said to reflect construction's increasing importance within BICC now that the group is divesting its power cable operations.