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BOXTEXT: WORK FORECAST TO DIP

Work orders continue to fall in 2000 and hardest hit is industrial building, reports forecaster Hewes and Associates. The firm said industrial building orders fell by 20% during 1999 and an 18% fall in output is forecast for this year. An upturn is not expected until 2002. Infrastructure orders were hit with an 8% fall last year with a further weakening predicted this year. However, the volume of work is forecast to rise by 10% over 2001 and 2002. Much of the growth will come from the rail sub-sector, although improvements are also forecast for roads and air communications.

TECHNICAL INFO ON-LINE

A European-wide on-line technical information service for the steel construction industry has secured £0.5m from the Department of Trade and Industry towards its three-year development. The Steel Construction Institute, in partnership with the institutes in Finland, France and Spain, has set in motion plans to produce a web site which will allow companies throughout the European steel construction chain to access information and promote their own products or services. A spokeswoman for the SCI said: "We hope to have a prototype launched in six months and will be consulting with our members."

ROTHERHAM WINS TOP AWARD

Rotherham Sand and Gravel has won the top environmental accolade in the Quarry Products Association's annual awards scheme. The quarry operator was part of a pilot scheme run by the QPA to prove that smaller firms can get ISO 14001 accreditation without being involved in unnecessary cost or management time. ISO 14001 is an environmental management system.

HBG IS WORKING FOR MICKEY MOUSE

Dutch contractor HBG's dredging and marine arm, Ham, has been awarded the lion's share of a NLG1.2bn (about £320m) land reclamation contract for the future Disneyland park in Hong Kong. In preparation for the park, the firm will remove 40 million m3 of soil after which trailing suction hopper dredgers will deliver 65 million m3 of sand. Local civil engineering contractors will construct 2km of coastal protection works and the build access roads to the park. Work is scheduled to begin this month and finish at the end of 2002.

ON THE MOVE

Amec has appointed Stuart Siddall from ALPHA Airports Group as its group finance director. He will take up his appointment towards the end of June. Construction group Geoffrey Osborne has appointed Andrew Osborne and Mike Petter to its group board. Anne Blake has been appointed as a London regional partner at consulting engineer Donald Smith, Seymour & Rooley. John Richards, sales and marketing director of Ibstock Brick, has been appointed chairman of the Brick Development Association's commercial executive, taking over from Gareth Roberts, managing director of Ambion Brick, who joins the main board.

ARUP JOINS SCOTT WILSON ON TYNESIDE

Consulting engineers Ove Arup and Scott Wilson, in a joint venture, have been appointed by the Department of the Environment Transport and the Regions to carry out a multi-modal transport study for Tyneside. The joint venture team will look at the congestion and safety problems on the trunk road network and develop options to address them during the 15-month study.