Civil engineering stats show dip in Welsh workload

English and Scottish civil engineering firms have reported a strong increase in their workload, but Welsh firms are feeling the pinch, according to figures published this week.

The Civil Engineering Contractors Association's (CECA) quarterly survey for July 2007 reported that an overall 55% of firms had seen an increase in workload, while 17% had seen a downturn. A large proportion of the latter group were Welsh companies.

The association said that the feedback on workload was one of the most positive in the survey's 11-year history, but findings for different types of work were mixed.

CECA chairman Peter Andrews called the results for Wales "disappointing", but said he welcomed the indications of positive trends in workload, orderbooks and expectations of future work.

(Contract Journal, 15 August 2007, p 3)