Electrical contractors look forward with new optimism

Electrical contractors are more optimistic about business prospects in the coming year, although there are regional variations, with bigger firms also tending to be more confident than smaller ones.

According to the latest Electrical Contractors' Association survey, 36% of firms expect a rise in turnover, with only 14% forecasting a fall.

Focusing on the next quarter of this year, 34% of companies expect growth, and 16% a decline.

ECA director David Pollock described the latest results as: "The best projection we've seen in the past 12 months."

But he said that "confidence tends to increase with company size. Also, the North, South East and particularly Greater London firms are more optimistic about the next quarter, while the Midlands and the West expect a more static situation."

Pollock concluded: "We shall be looking to see if the recent bank-rate rise causes any change when we survey members again at the beginning of October."

[Contract Journal, 23 August 2006, p 2]