Scottish contractors are confident

Scottish contractors enjoyed a stronf fourth quarter of 2003, with nine out of ten Scottish Building members reporting that their workload remained stable or increased compared with the previous quarter.

One in four members said they expect their turnover to increase in the current quarter. One quarter of members said they were already operating at full capacity, while a further seven out of ten said they working at 75% capacity or more.

Scottish Building chief executive Sid Patten said: "It is pleasing to see that our members, large and small, continue to be busy and that they are confident that the current unprecedented period of growth can be sustained.

"What is particularly significant is the increased diversity of opportunity, and while the private housing market continues to be particularly active, we have also witnessed a welcome if modest resurgence in some commercial and industrial markets," Patten concluded.