Construction News
January 2000

View all stories from this issue.

£650m merger talks on hold

MERGER talks between Bryant Group and Alfred McAlpine have been halted but are expected to re-start when the house builders post results in February and March respectively.
2010 Task Force report rings the changes

2000 & Beyond; A top-level think-tank has identified a number of developments it believes will shape the industry in the first decade of the new century. Sean Barry reports
Abbey cautious over interest rates

Finance
About the author

Briefings
Ace of Diamond

Plant
Amec eyes fit-out concepts

AMEC Concepts has been set up to target fit-out and restoration contracts in London and the Home Counties.
Amec overseas orders boost but rail work is set to suffer

Finance
Amec/Alfred McAlpine Group in driving seat for Thames Gateway

Contracts
Amey in show for support services

AMEY is set to announce an internal restructuring next month to coincide with its latest financialresults.
Amey move for show of support

News
Are professionals set for wage hikes?

NIGGLING signs of a scarcity of experienced and skilled professionals have been a cause of great anxiety for some months. Now it seems the worst fears of personnel managers are being realised.
As if we didn't have enough on our plates

Letters; We could do with breathing space to take stock of changes, but there are more on the way, writes Guy Cottam
Ashford's harsh lessons

Agenda
Atkins fails to buy Mace

AN ATTEMPT by WS Atkins to buy construction manager Mace for an estimated £12 million has failed.
BAA 'passport' initiative to be extended to ensure that the skills of everyone on site are up to scratch Skills ID for site bosses

News
BAA plans 'MoT tests' for suppliers

AIRPORT operator BAA is considering introducing MoT-style performance reviews for suppliers.
Ballast sticks with Leicester

BALLAST Wiltshier is still working with Leicester City to build a new stadium, despite the football club's decision to dump plans for one on a 13 ha site in the city.
Bidders to show skill at NATM

THE FIVE teams looking to build the Dublin Port Tunnel will have to prove that they can prevent a Heathrow-style tunnel collapse
Blueprints for plant

2000 & Beyond; The past 30 years has seen construction equipment make huge advances, evolving from basic mechanical models to highly sophisticated computer- controlled machines. Andrew Gaved charts some of the likely future developments
Bovis Lend Lease strikes for biggest-ever shopping spree

BOVIS Lend Lease has landed its largest-ever contract to supervise BP Amoco's retail building programme, believed to be worth £2 billion across 15 countries.
Bovis lodges centre writs at the double

BOVIS Lendlease is suing its client on the £285 million Braehead shopping centre in Glasgow for alleged non-payment of £10 million.
British firms must act now to reap rewards as new tourist boom fuels mass of construction projects Jordan bonanza beckons

Materials
BUSINESS 24-hour Mawsley

Plant
BUSINESS Baldwins' sixth

Plant
BUSINESS Barrus for Deere

Plant
Business Booms put to test

Plant
Business End of Pel-Job

Plant
Business Engine success

GENSET manufacturer Harrington Generators is to use Isuzu diesel engines in its machines, following successful field trials. The company is incorporating the engines in its 8-30 kVa Silent Knight range and is also launching two new ranges - Merlin for economy gensets and Bright Knight for lighting towers. The Isuzus are distributed by Bridgwater-based HM Group.
Business Green for go

Plant
Business Hyundai target

HYUNDAI sold 1,100 machines in Europe during 1999, achieving a turnover of US$80 million (£48.8 million), a 78 per cent rise on 1998. It is forecasting this will rise to US$100 million this year. It is dividing its operations into three divisions - construction equipment for medium-sized excavators and loaders; compact equipment for minis, small loaders and skids; and industrial for forklifts and, ultimately, telehandlers.
Business Intermat update

THE INTERMAT 2000 international plant show has expanded into a fourth hall at France's Paris-Nord exhibition centre following increased demand. The show takes place from May 16 to 21.
Business Leads (1 of 4)

Midlands/E Anglia
Business Leads (1 of 4)

Midlands/E Anglia
Business Leads (1 of 4)

Midlands/E Anglia
Business Leads (1 of 4)

Midlands/E Anglia
Business Leads (2 of 4)

ROTHERHAM
Business Leads (2 of 4)

West Yorkshire, LS10 1PP.
Business Leads (2 of 4)

MANCHESTER
Business Leads (2 of 4)

MANCHESTER
Business Leads (3 of 4)

LONDON
Business Leads (3 of 4)

ORPINGTON
Business Leads (3 of 4)

GLASGOW
Business Leads (3 of 4)

OXFORD
Business Leads (4 of 4)

PORTHCAWL
Business Leads (4 of 4)

ROCHESTER
Business Leads (4 of 4)

CARDIFF
Business Leads (4 of 4)

GLOUCESTER
BUSINESS National safety

Plant
BUSINESS Plant in Lincoln

Plant
BUSINESS Powerscreen plus

Plant
BUSINESS Rollalong depot

Plant
Business SGB expanding

SCAFFOLD and access specialist SGB has opened a new £2.5 million branch in Avonmouth, Bristol. The new operation is aimed at meeting the increasing demands of the region - which has a projected rate of urban growth of 18 per cent by 2016. SGB plans to open 15 new branches this year.
Business Terex makes cut

PLANT conglomerate Terex has announced the closure of its scissor lift plant in Wisconsin following a drop in demand for the product in the US. The product line will be transferred to South Carolina.
Business Trucks picking up

Plant
Casebook of the collapse

1969: Contractor E P Wickens & Sons starts work building a one-storey flat-roofed building at Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Surrey.
CBI chief in transport bid

NEW CONFEDERATION of British Industry director general Digby Jones is calling on the government to make increased transport spending a priority this year.
Champions exchange supply chain concerns

News
Channel Tunnel timetable

Rail
Check health and safety via Internet

IT; LAUNCHES
City site

THE NEW Year trading statements which the quoted companies are pushing out before they go into closed season ahead of the March results will have encouraged the City about the construction industry's prospects for this year.
COLUMN SIX £10m in pipeline

DEAN & Dyball has a £10 million contract to lay pipeline and build two pumping stations at Newport, Isle of Wight, for Southern Water.
COLUMN SIX £14m Kier rebuild

KIER is rebuilding Kinnaird House at Pall Mall, London, in a £14 million deal for the Crown Estate and developer Rodamco.
COLUMN SIX Allen college

ALLEN has clinched a £3 million contract to build a teaching resource centre at Barrow-in- Furness for Furness College.
COLUMN SIX Amec health kick

AMEC is building a £5.2 million health school in Middlesbrough for Teesside University.
COLUMN SIX Amec rail link job

AMEC Spie has clinched Contract 570, worth £120 million, for trackwork on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link at Swanley in Kent.
COLUMN SIX Balfour canal

BALFOUR Beatty has a £4 million deal to reconnect the Forth & Clyde Canal tothe Firth of Forth at Grangemouth for British Waterways.
COLUMN SIX Balfour double

BALFOUR Beatty has taken an £18 million order to build a police training centre in Strathclyde for Babcock & Brown and a £5.5 million job to convert a building in Edinburgh into a 68-bed hotel for Scotsman Hotel Company.
COLUMN SIX Birse train refurb

BIRSE has landed a £3.7 million job to refurbish train sheds at Ramsgate rail depot for Railtrack.
COLUMN SIX Brazier gets call

LOCAL firm Brazier is building a £2.4 million industrial unit at Alton, Hampshire, for developer Phillips.
COLUMN SIX College picks Try

TRY has beaten Mansell to a £10 million project to refurbish the Royal College of Nursing in central London. The client is the Royal College.
COLUMN SIX Costain flyover

COSTAIN has a £3.2 million deal to build a flyover on the A30 at Woodleigh, Devon, for the Highways Agency.
COLUMN SIX Cruden homes in

CRUDEN has a £4 million deal to build flats at Commutation Row in Islington, north London, for Maritime Housing Association.
COLUMN SIX Footbridge refurb

FITZPATRICK has picked up a £2.5 million Railtrack contract to refurbish a footbridge at Clapham Junction station in London.
COLUMN SIX HBG assured

HBG HAS a £11 million design-and-build office scheme in Green Park, Reading, for Prudential.
COLUMN SIX Hospital extension

YORKSHIRE-based Roberts has started on a £4.2 million extension to Stockton Hall Psychiatric Hospital in York for Partnerships in Care.
COLUMN SIX Hospital extension

ROBERTS has secured a £2.5 million deal to extend Thornbury Hospital in Sheffield for General Healthcare Group.
COLUMN SIX Lend Lease award

BOVIS Lend Lease has a £2.5 million design-and-build office project in Lichfield, for South Staffordshire Water.
COLUMN SIX Lilly lab job

WALTER Lilly is refurbishing laboratories in Harlow, Essex, in a £5 million job for SmithKline Beecham.
COLUMN SIX Market mover

TILBURY Douglas has taken a £5 million deal to relocate Birmingham Rag Market Traders to St Martins for the city council.
COLUMN SIX McNicholas strike

MCNICHOLAS Construction has landed a Transco contract, worth up to £140 million, for gas pipeline repair and maintenance work in the West Midlands.
COLUMN SIX Mowlem depot

MOWLEM is building the £25 million first phase of a train maintenance depot scheme in Acton, west London, for First Group/ Railtrack.
COLUMN SIX Murphy pipes up

MURPHY has a £26.5 million contract to build a 25 km gas pipeline linking Staffordshire and Derbyshire for Transco.
COLUMN SIX Office conversion

NORTH Midland has landed a £4 million award to convert offices at Derby Road, Nottingham, into 68 flats for Bourneston Developments.
COLUMN SIX Sulzer M&E deal

SULZER Infra has a £10.7 million M&E package from Bovis on a hospital scheme in Halifax.
COLUMN SIX Waste for Carillion

CARILLION has an£8.5 million waste-water treatment works project at Kinkell Ness, St Andrews, for East of Scotland Water.
COLUMN SIX Wates office win

WATES has a £6.7 million office job at Admirals Park in Dartford, Kent, for Whitecliff Properties.
COLUMN SIX Wates on a flier

WATES has a £2.2 million job to refurbish Luton Airport for London Luton Airport.
Communications is the partnering key

IT is a fortnightly section looking at how construction is exploiting information technology, offering news and opinions
Comprehensive BSRIA study discovers a 'healthy market' with plenty of potential Success in the air for UK ventilation firms

Materials
Consolidation fails to find foothold

Finance City site
Construction Confederation in talks with Inland Revenue to scrap 'unacceptable' CIS6 voucher system Showdown over 'unfair' tax cost

CONTRACTORS are stepping up pressure on the Inland Revenue to abolish the expensive voucher system used to process tax exemption certificates.
Construction Innovation and Research

Innovation is about finding new ways of doing things and, in today's construction industry, leading clients expect to see their suppliers investing in research, particularly to improve processes, productivity and management.
Contractors face disappointment as Railtrack plays the loyalty card for its £5bn flagship upgrade West Coast hopes blow

RAILTRACK has admitted it is unlikely to appoint a new set of contractors to work on its upgrade of the West Coast Main Line.
Contracts League

December
Council lumps together maintenance and new works to save administration costs Mega-deals lined up for Essex packages

ESSEX County Council is to slash the number of civils contracts it lets over the next three years from 150 to just two.
CURVY CROSSING

A distinctive 'S'-shaped pedestrian and cycle bridge has been lifted into place at Bristol's Temple Quay development, ready for its opening this summer. The 45 m-long cable-stayed bridge is supported by a single 25 m mast and was designed by WS Atkins.
Cutting edge

Plant
Decade destined for growth

2000 & Beyond; Do the first 10 years of the new millennium offer encouraging prospects? A forecast for Construction News by the Construction Products Association predicts good times ahead and new challenges for contractors
Degree courses lose their appeal

News
Devon South West on road again

SOUTH West Highways has pipped Amey to £85 million-worth of roads and vehicle maintenance deals in Devon for the county council.
Do you know who is on your sites?

Security
Dreaming spires for the towering giants?

2000 & Beyond; The skyscrapers of the future may dwarf their 20th century counterparts but are they a realistic proposition or the stuff of fantasy? Aaron Morby reports
Edinburgh Class of four on £100m register

Contracts
Egan's view of research

Briefings
Electrical sector still on a charge

WORKLOADS in the electrical contracting sector continue to rise and look set to keep growing for the rest of the year.
Employer who admitted manslaughter after demolition tragedy given 200 hours' community service Building chief escapes jail

A BUILDING boss who admitted manslaughter after his friend died in a roof collapse during a demolition job walked free from the Old Bailey last week.
Ennstone paving the way for sell offs with Blockleys deal

Finance
Establishing standards will unlock concrete's potential

Letters
Europe set for lift off

Agenda; Economists at the Euroconstruct economic think-tank last week unveiled their predictions for a phase of prosperity in Europe not seen in the construction sector since the '60s. Aaron Morby reports
Eurotunnel unveils Son of Chunnel

Rail
Ex-Amec main board director joins Balfour Beatty

FORMER Amec director Malcolm Eckersall has joined Balfour Beatty as group managing director with responsibility for civil and specialist engineering and associated services.
Extractor fan logs data about damp

Materials
Facilities management specialist topples Balfour Beatty to take over East Midlands rail maintenance Serco breaks into rail work

SERCO has become the first firm to break the stranglehold of the big six rail maintenance contractors with its appointment as preferred bidder on a contract in the Midlands.
Fair play for us all

Law
Father and son are jailed for stolen Cat loader scam

A NORFOLK sales rep has been jailed for stealing a £40,000 loader from his own company.
Fife Race for £32m schools prize

Contracts
Fillcrete in insulation supply deal with council

Materials
FINAL LAP

A brickie working for Furlong Homes on its Ocean Wharf site at Westferry in London Docklands, brave the elements as they complete the top floor of a 10-storey luxury apartment block. Work on the second phase of the 0.5 ha development started last February and is due for completion in September.
FINISHING STAGE

Bovis is on course to complete the £70 million Lowry arts centre in Salford Manchester by the end of April. Building work began back in June 1997 and work in progress is pictured at the 450- seat Quays Theatre, which will host comedy shows and concerts. The centre also contains another theatre, two art galleries, an interactive 'art space', bars and restaurants.
Five chase St Pancras CTRL prize

FIVE firms are bidding to carry out work at St Pancras railway station in London as part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link project.
Flexibility holds key to the future

2000 & Beyond
Forthcoming Features

FEBRUARY 17 - PLANT TOOLS & HIREX PREVIEW
Furhter Information

Major Research and Innovation Funders
Gas Firms work up bids as Transco unveils £72m pipeline jobs

TRANSCO is poised to let three contracts, together worth up to £72 million, as part of its five-year, £950 million, high-pressure gas pipeline upgrade.
Gas pipeline operator brings in procurement specialist for checks on high-pressure system contractors Transco probes suppliers

TRANSCO has called in a procurement consultant to run the rule over 12 of its major suppliers to tighten supply chain management procedures.
Gleeson Homes sets out its new structure

GLEESON Homes has restructured its operations, dividing the company into four regions and three specialist divisions.
Great expectations of 21st century kind

2000 & Beyond Karl West looks at some of the major projects in the pipeline that may see the light of day in years to come
Groundbreaking trio earn design plaudits

Materials
Growing house-building and commercial work expected to drive up tender prices Workload set to rise, say bullish surveyors

News
Guide to the Competition Act

Illegal cartels and price-fixing rings will find life difficult with the introduction of the Competition Act 1998, which comes into force on March 1 this year. This new Act introduces prohibitions, modelled upon the existing EU regime, for restrictive agreements and for abuse of market power. It will apply to any agreements or conduct which affect competition in the UK or any part of the UK. The new Act will be enforced by the Director General of Fair Trading (DGFT) and by regulators in the u
GUIDING LIGHT

Contracts
H Smith trials edge protection for minis

Plant
HBG Construction could face prosecution over death of worker in scaffolding collapse at office site Man was 'unlawfully killed' in site tragedy

HBG CONSTRUCTION could face prosecution after a coroner's court found that a worker on one of the firm's sites was unlawfully killed.
High Court rules original builder was to blame for disaster which claimed the lives of four workers Ashford widow's victory

THE WIDOW of one of four men killed in the 1995 Ashford building disaster has won £200,000 in damages after the High Court ruled that the original builder was to blame for the collapse.
Highways specialist expands its European presence with purchase of Trafiroad Jarvis makes mark on road to Belgium

Finance
HM Group in management buyout

JOHN Jones, managing director of diversified plant dealer HM Group, has led a £18.5 million management buyout of thecompany.
House builder to serve notices on unwelcome guests who have halted work at sites Furlong in battle to restart luxury flats squatters plague

FURLONG Homes is being forced into taking legal action against squatters who have seized control of two of its luxury sites in London worth £15 million.
'If a big client tests its suppliers on such qualities as leadership, it can't be long before they tell them when to go to the toilet and how to knot their ties'

Fair play (part 1)
Ilisu dam credit depends on environmental report

BALFOUR Beatty's proposal for a controversial £220 million dam in Turkey depends on the results of a new environmental impact report.
impress City site

Finance
In brief Royal warrant

News
In brief £400m station job

RAILTRACK will submit a planning application to Southwark Borough Council next month to redevelop London Bridge station. The £400 million scheme will include building three new platforms and trebling the size of the concourse. The spend includes the £130 million Railtrack has already earmarked for the station under its £800 million Thameslink 2000 project.
In brief A&H record start

HALESOWEN-based A&H Construction is taking on 40 workers after starting 2000 with a record order book totalling £25 million.
In Brief Amec set for gold

News
In Brief Amey chief retires

TONY Lucas is to retire as managing director of Amey's construction division at the end of this month. Mr Lucas has been at the firm for eight years and will continue as a consultant after his retirement.
In Brief Anti-glare film

Materials
In Brief Arm grip loosens

Finance
In brief Babtie QS boost

BABTIE has acquired chartered surveying and project management outfit, Kensall, which operated in Manchester and the South-East. The staff have joined Babtie's QS arm, Murdoch Green, to form a new practice, Murdoch Green Kensalls.
In Brief Babtie swoop

Finance
In Brief Back to school

Materials
In Brief Baggeridge boost

Finance
In brief Basin revamp

News
In Brief Best Practice

News
In Brief Bickerton bought

Finance
In brief Boot FM launch

HENRY Boot has re-launched its facilities management arm under the name of Banner Facilities Management.
In brief Bovis sale gets OK

THE DEPARTMENT of Trade and Industry this week ruled against referring Lendlease's acquisition of Bovis to the Competition Commission.
In brief BRE at a loss

THE BRE is negotiating the purchase of the Loss Prevention Council, which certifies fire security products and carries out accredited testing, from the Association of British Insurers and Lloyd's.
In Brief Cala returns dip

Finance
In brief Capita buy

CAPITA Property Services has purchased engineering firm Edward Roscoe Associates for £5 million with a further consideration of £3.5 million, due in March 2002.
In brief Cement prospects

BLUE CIRCLE says it expects cement sales to increase by1-2 per cent this year, with price increases in line with inflation.
In Brief Cladding coup

TRENT Concrete has won its fifth cladding contract in partnership with Carillion. The latest deal, worth £614,000, is on the conversion of the former Birmingham Royal Mailoffice into a mixed-use development.
In Brief Contracts draft

THE MINISTRY of Defence is to issue a draft of its standard contracts for Private Finance Initiative projects next week.
In Brief Crest owl watch

CREST Homes has linked up with charity the Woodland Trust to create new wildlife environments for owls, dormice and nightingales. Crest is sponsoring the initiative to build the habitats across three woods in Berkshire and Suffolk.
In Brief Damp-proof choice

Materials
In Brief Deadline extended

News
In Brief EC probes rescue

THE EUROPEAN Commission is launching an investigation into the German government's rescue of troubled contractor Holzmann. The government backed a rescue package for the firm to the tune of£80 million and the commission will decide whether the move contravened European competition rules.
In Brief E-commerce site

THE LATEST e-commerce venture for the construction industry has been set up in Ireland.
In Brief Empty homes plan

COUNCIL homes lying empty on rundown estates for more than two years would be handed over to the private sector under plans from the Conservatives this week. The party would ban public authorities from sitting on redundant urban land that they did not intend to use. The move is part of the Tories' policy to encourage more new housing on brownfield sites.
In Brief Equal opps grant

THE CONSTRUCTION Industry Training Board has been awarded a £10,000 grant by research agency FEDA to support a programme to promote the industry to black and Asian workers.
In brief Ex-boss banned

News
In Brief Fencing finesse

Finance
In Brief Fire safety guide

News
In Brief Furlong ahead

News
In Brief Galvanised first?

METNOR group's new integrated galvanising plant in Middlesbrough has come on stream. The firm claims it is the first company to combine galvanising and powder coating within the same factory.
In Brief Gartec access lift

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE firm Gartec has supplied a platform lift at Birmingham International Airport to give access to disabled people. D5 Architects selected the Gartec lift because the machinery can be contained within the shaft structure without the need for a motor room which would have required excavation.
In Brief Graduate boost

News
In Brief Hansen gets tough

Materials
In Brief Heiton on the up

Finance
In Brief High-speed Laing

MAIN contractor Laing is using a ROM Beamform Plus shuttering system on a high-profile Morrison retail complex in Leeds. The manufacturer claims the system is up to 10 times quicker and also cheaper to install than timberformwork.
In brief Hills to double up

MECHANICAL and electrical contractor Hills Electrical is to double its workforce over the next three years. The Solihull-based firm wants to create 500 jobs in a move to lift turnover from £46 million to £54 million by the end of 2002.
In Brief Home setback

Finance
In Brief Hotel security

Materials
In Brief Interest rate plea

THE REGIONAL secretary of construction union Ucatt, Alan Ritchie, meets Bank of England governor Eddie George next week as part of a Scottish Trades Union Congress delegation. Mr Ritchie will raise the problems created for Scottish house building by the expected hike in interest rates.
In brief Intria sale move

News
In brief Legend on move?

ARTHURIAN theme park Legend Court could now be on its way to Derbyshire after its planning application was rejected by Newport County Borough Council in South Wales. However, the resort's developers already have a 10-year-old planning consent for a site near Chesterfield. Investors in the £750 million development include Sir Robert McAlpine and Amey Construction.
In brief Lille deadline

News
In brief London prices leap

TENDER prices in London are set to rise by three times the rate of inflation this year.
In Brief Lovell's back-up

News
In Brief Master courses

Materials
In brief Mitie profits up

News
In Brief Mowlem pipped

A CONSORTIUM featuring Mowlem has lost out to a team comprising Bouygues and Dutch firm Koop Tjuchem for the first major contract to be let on the Netherland's£3 billion HSL-Zuid high-speed link.
In Brief Naylor HK deal

Materials
In Brief New build boost

THE NUMBER of applications to build new homes reached 13,675 in November, 24 per cent higher than in the same month in 1998.
In Brief Paving the way

HANSON Brick has taken a contract to design and supply 750,000 pavers for the Ports Authority of Spain at the new Bilbao Harbour development. As part of the contract, Hanson spent 200-man hours designing a 50 mm thick paver solution, rather than the standard 65 mm thickness, in order to reduce materialcosts.
In Brief Quarry firms join

MORE than 30 independent quarry companies have signed up with the new British Aggregates Association. The body, based in Lanark, Scotland, provides a voice for independent operators worried that the Quarry Products Association is dominated by major firms.
In Brief Quarry quandary

Finance
In Brief Rail death pleas

TWO MEN charged with the manslaughter of Jarvis rail worker Peter White have pleaded not guilty at Liverpool Crown Court.
In brief Raynsford ill

CONSTRUCTION minister Nick Raynsford was admitted to hospital last week for emergency treatment on a blood clot in his lung. The55-year-old was treated at Greenwich Hospital after complaining of chest pains. A spokesman for the MP said he was recovering well.
In Brief Roadworks levy

News
In Brief Rydon high

Finance
In brief Safe handling

News
In Brief Safety crackdown

News
In brief Sparks sit-in

News
In Brief Steel firm leaps

Finance
In brief Taywood US tie-in

News
In Brief Three of a kind

Materials
In Brief Tilcon fired up

Materials
In Brief Tiling refurb

Materials
In Brief Timber frame NVQ

News
In Brief Trett buys Wilson

TRETT Consulting has acquired Malaysian-based consultancy Kennedy Wilson Associates which will now be known as Trett Consulting (Malaysia).
In Brief Tulloch boost

TURNOVER at Scottish house builder Tulloch rose by 10 per cent last year to £110 million.
In Brief Tunnel inquiry

THE HEALTH and Safety Executive this week resumed its investigation into the accident on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in Kent, in which a tunnel miner, Shane Holliday, lost a leg and an arm in November. Engineers working for Beton and Monierbau are being interviewed about the incident on Contract 410, near Maidstone. Mr Holliday was discharged from Sheffield's Northern General Hospital last week.
In Brief Underground way

News
In Brief Warings winner

Finance
In Brief West Coast talks

RAILTRACK is holding talks with suppliers, including First Engineering and GTRM, about work on the Crewe to Glasgow section of the West Coast Main Line upgrade. Most of the work will involve signalling.
In Brief Yuill tide turns

Finance
In Stock

Every week In Stock brings you news of the latest developments in products, plant, tools, materials and equipment. Contact names and numbers are listed to put you directly in touch with the appropriate sales and marketing departments
In Stock

Every week In Stock brings you news of the latest developments in products, plant, tools, materials and equipment. Contact names and numbers are listed to put you directly in touch with the appropriate sales and marketing departments
In Stock

Cladding
In Stock

Every week In Stock brings you news of the latest developments in products, plant, tools, materials and equipment. Contact names and numbers are listed to put you directly in touch with the appropriate sales and marketing departments
In the groove

Plant
In their own words

'It will be a race against time, with only a small number of partnerships to be had and the smart people making hay while the sun shines.'
In their own words

Agenda
In with the new

2000 & Beyond
International corruption under attack

Law; Jeremy Winter looks at the problems of enforcing a convention to criminalise bribery in international tendering
IPAF buys access training rights

A TRAINING scheme for access operators launched in 1998 by the Hire Association Europe has been taken over by the International Powered Access Federation.
Is there a case for a tendering statute?

Tendering in the UK is riddled with abuse, malpractice and poor procedures. Legislation could ensure a more efficient process and cut the costs, writes Rudi Klein
Jarvis shake-up as PFI work gains £250 million foothold

Finance
JUST DESERTS

Materials
KEY ISSUES

IT
Key points

Law
Komatsu eyes quarry market with 60-tonner

MARUBENI-KOMATSU has launched a 60-tonne Komatsuexcavator in response to demand for a machine between its 45-tonne and 79-tonne models.
Komatsu takes pounding

News
Laing buys retirement home firm Beechcroft

LAING continued its drift away from traditional construction with the acquisition of retirement homes developer Beechcroft for £9.59 million last week.
Launches Blazing a trail

Plant
LAUNCHES Cutting the stump

Plant
LAUNCHES Dispensing track

Plant
Launches Dumper weighs in

Plant
Launches Hitting the nail

Plant
Launches Pave the way

Plant
LAUNCHES Portable splitting

Plant
Launches Ratings winner

Plant
Launches Strike a cord

Plant
Launches Welders unveiled

Plant
LETTERS

Sir,
Liebherr launches its 'largest' loaders

Plant
Light aggregate first

Materials
Log on for an exciting new service

TODAY Construction News launches CNplus, a free web site designed to meet the needs of contractors.
Longley's fortunes slump after red card at Chelsea

SUSSEX-based contractor James Longley has re-vealed 1998 losses of £3.6 million and a 39 per cent slump in turnover.
Mace wanted £10m for Atkins takeover

AN ATTEMPT by W S Atkins to buy Mace for £5 million collapsed when bosses at the management contractor demanded double that.
Maintenance work to support growth of 3pc

News
Major players remain bullish despite the threat of further rises in interest rates House builders' high hopes for New Year

Finance
Majors buck share price hangover

City site
Manchester Stadium surprise for Laing

LAING has replaced Amec as contractoron the £90 million stadium which will host the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
Manufacturer launches 7.7-tonne machine to capitalise on trend to smaller, higher-margin equipment Cat midi excavator first

CATERPILLAR has followed rival manufacturers into the midi sector by launching a 7.7-tonne excavator designed to capitalise on the current trend towards smaller, higher-margin machines.
Materials firms up on aggregate

Finance
McNicholas stays in touch on site with ExpressNet service

MCNICHOLAS Construction is using new telecommunications technology to improve the efficiency of its on-site operations.
MEDICINE MAN

Work is in progress at drugs giant SmithKline Beecham's £250 million headquarters in Brentford, west London. Construction manager Mace is confident the job will be completed despite SmithKline's merger with Glaxo Wellcome last week. See story, page 4
Meyseyside Rugby stadium finds a light for inspiration

Contracts
Millennium Dome movers make a lasting impression in 2000 awards

THE MOST high-profile project in the UK dominated the industry's showing in the New Year's Honours.
MoD's £60m prime moves nearing end

News
New contracting group reviews overheads in drive to push up operating profits Carillion sets sights on efficiency gains

Finance
New editor at CN helm

AARON Morby has been appointed editor of Construction News, the industry's leading publication.
New name, new beginning for access group Pasma

Plant
New series of single-arm skid steers introduced into the UK JCB singles out robotic growth

Plant
Nine in line for Tube job

A TOTAL of nine groups havealready expressed an interest in London Underground's £3.2 billion deal to repair and maintain its sub-surface lines.
Nine in line for Tube job

deep tube lines.' The deal for the sub-surface lines, which include the Circle, East London, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines, is expected to be easier to price.
No choice of terms

Letters
Nothing sinister about tests

Letters
On the move

LOVELL PARTNERSHIPS
On the move BAGGALEY CONSTRUCTION

The regional contractor has appointed Mike Strobin as finance director. He brings 16 years of senior-level building industry experience to the company.
On the move BELLWAY HOMES

The house builder has promotedJim Bowers to the role of sales manager, after a nine-year career with Bellway in the North-West. He will work closely with sales director Ken Ewen to manage all 16 of the division's exclusive developments.
On the move CASTLE CEMENT

The cement manufacturer has appointed Gary Sharpe and Scott Wilson as area sales managers. Mr Sharpe will be responsible for the South and South- East while Mr Wilson will look after the Yorkshire region.
On the move CHARLES CHURCH

David Keep has been appointed construction director of the house builder's South Midlands Region. He brings 15 years of experience in the sector, having previously worked with Ideal Homes, Redrow and Beazer.
On the move DESIGN BUILD FOUNDATION

Dr Bernard Rimmer, general manager of construction at Slough Estates, has been appointed as chairman of the foundation. He takes over from founding chairman, John Carpenter, who retires in the spring.
On the move EDGE ELLISON

Jennifer Charlson, a construction lawyer at the firm, has been appointed chairman of the South Midland Centre of the Institution of Electrical Engineers. Her term of office runs until September 2000.
On the move GVA GRIMLEY

The international property adviser has appointed Daniel Lafferty as associate within its building consultancy. He has been with the firm for two-and- a-half years and was previously principal surveyor.
On the move HILLS ELECTRICAL

The national building services firm has appointed Allan Carson as business development manager responsible for the Scottish region.
On the move KENNEDY CONSTRUCTION

The contractor has appointed Carol Cunningham as human resources manager. She joins from Lloyd Frazer of Haydock and is a member of the Institute of Personnel.
On the move LAING HOMES

The house builder has split its South Thames division into South East Thames and South West Thames. As a result, Ian Randall has been promoted to regional managing director of South East and South West Thames; Sean Ellis has been promoted to managing director of South East Thames; and Roy Willer steps up to become managing director of South West Thames.
On the move LOVELL PARTNERSHIPS

Law
On the move MARLEY BUILDING MATERIALS

Marley has promoted Martin Turner to the board of MBM as marketing director. He joined the firm as sales director of Marley Roofing Products following senior positions in the building materials industry.
On the move NMC

Law
On the move PARKER MERCHANTING

The construction and civil engineering consumables merchant has appointed Dave Critchell as the new depot manager at its Woodford site. He joins with 20 years' experience of sales and customer care.
On the move REDROW GROUP

The house builder has appointed Nicola Taylor as financial controller for its Northern subsidiary. She joins from sister company Harwood Homes (North West), having worked for the Redrow Group since 1992.
On the move REDROW GROUP

David Owen has been appointed structural engineer for the northern regions. He brings 25 years of experience in the industry to the role.
On the move RUGBY CEMENT

Graeme Barton has been appointed as business development manager by the materials firm. He joined Rugby when he left school in 1977 and progressed through the ranks to become sales manager for south London, and later represented the company's bagged cement section all over the country.
On the move SGB

Law
On the move SHEPHERD ENGINEERING SERVICES

Richard Bielski has been appointed business development manager for the building services firm's Southern Region. He joins from N G Bailey and has more than 14 years' experience in the engineering sector.
On the move TRAVIS PERKINS

Frank McKay took over as chief executive of the builders' merchant on January 1. And Charles Fisher, former chairman and chief executive of Sharpe & Fisher - now part of Travis Perkins - has been appointed to the Travis board as a non-executive director.
On the move TRY ACCORD

The contractor has recruited Martin White as marketing director. He will spearhead the company's repair and maintenance business. Mr White was formerly with Amec Facilities.
On the move TRY ACCORD

Law
On the move UNITE GROUP

TNG, the specialist design-and-build operation of Unite, has appointed Doug Elliott as managing director. He joins the Bristol-based company from Kier Western, where he was managing director.
On the move UPAT UK

Law
Panel will settle rows on defence contracts

MORE details have emerged about the dispute-busting clauses Defence Estates intends to write into its prime contracts.
Partners In Innovation

Briefings
Planning Extra

Midlands/E Anglia
Police raid Holzmann

GERMAN authorities stepped up their investigation into fraud allegations at Phillip Holzmann when more than 200 police and crime officials raided the group's offices last week.
Postponed at Wembley

THE TENDER deadline for the £475 million contract to redevelop London's Wembley Stadium has been put back to January 20.
Price competition and the strong dollar are blamed for fall in manufacturer's sales Caterpillar profits take a hammering

Finance
Problems pile up at UK consortium as financial crisis at German parent Phillip Holzmann takes toll Clients snub Connect

News
RAISE YOUR GLASSES

Jackson Building oversaw the lifting of three 20-tonne fermentation tanks into place at the Greene King Brewery in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. The lifts formed part of a £1.75 million contract to build a new fermentation plant, which will double brewing capacity at the site to 500,000 barrels a year.
Rapid Hire expands

Plant
RMC set to cement bumper year by matching forecasts

Finance
Round-up B+B preferred

BILFINGER + Berger is preferred bidder on a £15 million PFI hospital job in Hull for Royal Hull Hospital Trust.
Round-up Balfour offices

Contracts
Round-up Bovis docks

Contracts
Round-up Bypass advice

Contracts
Round-up C&N wins at Villa

CHRISTIANI & Nielsen has beaten Mowlem to a £10.5 million design-and-build contract to extend the Trinity Road stand at Villa Park, home to Aston Villa FC.
Round-up Catchment signs

CATCHMENT, led by Bechtel and Morrison, has closed a £100 million PFI waste-water deal in Dundee and Angus for North of Scotland Water Authority.
Round-up Cheshire smile

Contracts
Round-up Durham delight

Contracts
Round-up Hospital approved

A £60 MILLION PFI hospital to be built by Kier in Port Talbot for Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust has been given full business case approval by the Treasury.
Round-up Housing Hundreds

ALFRED McAlpine has a £6 million partnering deal with Chiltern Hundreds Housing Association to revamp Craw Hill housing estate in Irthlingborough, Northants.
Round-up Hull market study

Contracts
Round-up Hyder and wider

HYDER is design agent on a £70 million job to widen the A2 at Cobham, Kent, for the Highways Agency.
Round-up Jarvis Riding high

Contracts
Round-up Laing on a flyer

Contracts
Round-up Light rail team

A GROUP featuring Jarvis, Christiani & Nielsen,C Spencer and May Gurney has clinched a £98 million contract to build a metro system in Sunderland.
Round-up Mansell Homes in

MANSELL has a £7 million three-year partnering deal with Home Group for new housing across the North-East.
Round-up Military roll call

Contracts
Round-up Mouchel on road

Contracts
Round-up Store tenders

Contracts
Round-up Suspended success

Contracts
Round-up Viaduct track

Contracts
Round-up Water winner

Contracts
Round-up Welsh rail bidders

AMEY, Alfred McAlpine, Birse, GTRM/Dean & Dyball and Mowlem return bids on January 21 to Railtrack for a £2.5 million scheme to build platforms and re-route track at Mountain Ash, South Wales.
Satellite tracking will beat plant theft

Letters
Scarcity of engineers hits Channel Tunnel Rail Link Shortage of professionals threatens safety Skills crisis hits white-collar jobs

A WHITE-COLLAR skills crisis engulfing the industry is hampering major projects and threatening safety standards on site.
Scots civils chief sounds alarm at delays in water job awards

A CIVILS boss has written to East of Scotland Water voicing fears that the company is deferring contract awards because of cash-flow problems.
Scottish Executive Four-way split for roads

Contracts
Sector feels Xmas cheer

Trends
Share the pain and gain to move ahead

Agenda
Shortage of managers signals end of CTRL line for Carillion

CARILLION has pulled out ofbidding for work on the second section of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link due to a lack of managers.
Sir Fraser takes helm at new-look Morrison

SIR FRASER Morrison will resume his role as chief executive of Morrison Construction with the resignation of managing director Keith Howell.
Six in frame to give Millennium Dome an extended lease of life

LAING and Sir Robert McAlpine are leading two of the six groups bidding to take over the Millennium Dome next year.
Skills passport lifts professional profile

Agenda
Small firms' guide to best practices

Launches
SNCF could replace Railtrack on £3.2 bn sub-surface works French in chase for Tube deal

FRENCH rail operator SNCF is set to bid for London Underground's £3.2 billion contract to repair and maintain sub-surface lines on the Tube network.
Software lights up for Abacus

IT; APPLICATIONS
Solar power clash heats up as firm snubs 'tax on sun'

Materials
Sparks fight the cowboys

News
Specialist contracts

Contracts
Specialist contracts

Ardmac
Speed of erection and value put steel frame construction at top of house building methods assessment Thumbs-up for light steel

Materials
Stayer power

Plant
STEADY FLOW

Contracts
Steel manufacturers hit out at EC claims

Materials
Steel-decking firms say enough is enough over main contractors' practice of withholding payments Subbies' cash retention fight

SIX STEEL-decking firms have joined forces in a bid to force main contractors to abandon the profit-draining cash retention system.
Steelmaker lays off 100

STEEL manufacturer VAI UK has axed over 100 staff from its 600- strong workforce as part of a restructuring programme.
Steel's dawn Corus

From piling to heavy steel sections to aluminium roofing, the new Corus Construction Centre will dish out technical advice on steel to designers and procurers. Its chief, Ian Cox, tells Kristina Smith how it will work
Survivor of last recession warns overconfidence could lead to misery Market downturn 'may hit hire soon'

AN EAST Anglian plant hirer whostruggled to beat the last recession has warned that a new slump could be just around the corner.
Take your partners

Thousands of building products and services will be showcased at Interbuild 2000 at the NEC in Birmingham in May. In the first of a series of previews, we look at Structural Building products, which will be exhibited in Hall 5. First, Paul Donovan asks su
Taking the house to pieces - new developments in house building

2000 & Beyond
Talking points

Letters
Talking points

It is five months since the construction industry tax scheme was introduced. Is it working or is it a headache for all concerned? Let us know your experience of working under the scheme. Is there any alternative?
The E C Harris/Construction News Contractors' Input Cost Index

Costs
The EPSRC's 'LINK' schemes

Briefings
The ideal home

2000 & Beyond; The house of the future might look the same as the house of the past - but under the skin things will be very different. HouseBuilder editor Ben Roskrow looks at trends that are promising a revolution in house-building techniques
'The Ilisu Dam has had no proper environmental impact assessment ... Balfour Beatty couldn't build it in any western European country'

AS A CONSERVATIVE minister I spent a good deal of time and effort supporting British exports. Therefore it was with no pleasure that I put my weight behind those who were opposing Balfour Beatty's deal to build the Ilisu Dam in Turkey.
The risk managers

Health; Barhale's pioneering approach to protecting its workers from hand-arm vibration syndrome was a key factor in securing two tunnelling projects. Jon Masters reports on a system which EC legislation could soon force onto all contractors
The site to get on: CNplus.co.uk

Agenda; Today we launch CN Plus, a web site with a difference. CN Plus brings you industry news as it happens and a host of online services, from jobs and company details to legal advice and product information
The social climbers

Agenda; The transfer of thousands of council homes to new landlords is enabling many run-down and deprived areas to be transformed, while providing big opportunities for construction firms. Sean Barry reports
Top clients give workers two years to gain certificates Deadline for skills cards set for 2002

News
Top house builder voices fears as survey shows planning consents static in 1999, despite demand rise Housing approvals at 'frighteningly low' level

APPROVALS for major housing developments during 1999 remained static, despite a rise indemand, according to an exclusive survey commissioned by Construction News.
Towering proposals: skyscrapers bidding to claim of the world's tallest building

2000 & Beyond; Aaron Morby reports
Trade unions to meet employers over demands Push for minimum salaries to replace hourly rates Skills pay showdown

EMPLOYERS are set for a series of stormy meetings with construction unions to consider pay demands of £10 an hour for skilled workers.
Travis Perkins to sign three of a kind

Finance
Treasury to consult on PFI adviser proposal

THE TREASURY Taskforce will issue a consultation document this month on its controversial proposals for a project manager to advise on Private Finance Initiative deals.
Tube repairs up for grabs

CONSORTIA interested in the £3.2 billion privately-financed concession to repair and maintain London Underground's sub-surface lines must submit expressions of interest by January 20.
UpRight UK reaches out with boom

Plant
Utility contractors cornered as Anglian and Wessex introduce new 'pain share' procurement process Water clients put squeeze on profits

ANGLIAN and Wessex Water are the latest major clients to introduce new procurement methods that could prove costly to utility contractors working under partnering deals.
Utility firms are set 'free to bid down costs' twice a year

News
Variations to the schedule prove costly

IT/Law Report; In identifying a variation, it is not only the contract that a court will consider, warns Frances Alderson
VHE sees red as it counts losses

Finance
Vibration reduced and speed increased on Errut compactors Power boost for skid steer range Belle rings the changes as hire demand grows

Plant
Vibroplant's centralised tool hirer operation offers fast-track delivery to site Hire Station fires up as 'emergency service'

Plant
Washers on web

Plant
Waste water McAlpine all set for £30m Irish pipeline

Contracts
We do not dam the consequences

Law
Web Sites

Want to find the web site for aparticular trade association?
What are Briefings?

Briefings
WHAT'S ON

JANUARY 14 & 27
WHAT'S ON

JANUARY 28
WHAT'S ON

JANUARY 14 & 27
Who provides funding?

Briefings
Whole-life cost data

Letters
Whole-life costing forum is impartial

Sir,
Windsor, Berkshire Laing on the blocks for £60m

Contracts
'With their bunce drying up, the M4I boys are contemplating levying a charge for any firm that wants to join. You've got to admire their nerve'

HAVE you ever wondered how readily the gospel according to St John the Eganite is absorbed by those at the sharp end of the industry?
World contract hot spots

2000 & Beyond; Where on earth will UK firms be winning their overseas contracts and despatching staff to in the early years of the new Millennium? With established construction markets becoming increasingly difficult to break into, Construction News looks

Construction NewsJanuary 2000

Construction News
January 2000