All Building articles in 1999 Issue 13
View all stories from this issue.
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News
Euro helps plant sales to 10-year high
European construction plant sales reached a 10-year high in 1998 as contractors prepared for a euro-fuelled boom in construction spending, according to a report by Off-Highway Research consultancy. Sales of £20bn for heavy plant and equipment were described as little short of startling , and ascribed to a combination ...
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Railtrack moots £200m London Bridge boost
Railtrack has appointed architect TP Bennett to carry out a feasibility study for up to £200m of refurbishment work at London Bridge Station. The plans to upgrade London Bridge have been prompted by the need for additional lines as part of the Thameslink 2000 project. The predicted increase in passenger ...
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£60m Home Office PFI in disarray
Bidders threaten legal action as project is delayed by fears over decanting staff into temporary offices.
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Euro entry ‘will boost construction spending’
Bovis-commissioned report predicts low interest rates and more investment in infrastructure.
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News
‘Get sick and you’re sacked’ contract dropped
Tarmac labour arm NCS has withdrawn a controversial work contract and agreed to pay its operatives sick pay following union outrage over what one lawyer described as a get sick and you re sacked contract. The move comes weeks after construction union UCATT complained about the contracts to ...
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Railtrack’s investment pledge applauded
Railtrack s promise to invest £27bn in Britain s railways over the next 10 years was greeted enthusiastically by rail contractors, despite doubts over government funding. A spokesman for Balfour Beatty, which has carried out almost £300m of work for Railtrack in the past year, and is the largest supplier ...
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News
Scottish loophole threatens Construction Act
A court's decision to freeze payment to a subcontractor could change industry legislation.
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Features
High-wire act
A new footbridge over London s Royal Victoria Dock is a stunning addition to the landscape, but why was it built asymmetrically 15 m above the water?
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Features
Appointments
Contractors South-west contractor EBC Construction has appointed Mark Twomey and Lee Whitford quantity surveyors in the Plymouth office. Nigel Tonge has been promoted to group business development manager at Yorkshire-based Paul Caddick Holdings. Leeds-based Roberts has promoted John Scouller to commercial director. Shirley-Anne Fison ...
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Arup plans first 'integrated' office
Multidisciplinary firm to develop office campus HQ at Blythe Valley business park near Solihull.
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Portcullis MPs get back to basics
Swedish furniture-maker Ikea has been called in to advise on furniture for the new parliamentary building in a government attempt to slash costs on the controversial project. The move follows a government trade mission to Sweden led by deputy prime minister John Prescott, which visited Ikea s head office in ...
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Blue Circle fails to impress
Financial crises in emerging markets knocked Blue Circle s pre-tax profit down 7% to £317.6m before exceptionals in 1998. Sales at the cement behemoth were steady at £2.3bn. Asia s contribution to group profit slumped from £32.3m to £10m, although the group has used the market slump as an opportunity ...
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News
Lampl to keep helm when Bovis floats
Sir Frank hints that company may be listed under support services.
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Features
Breaking the speed limits
Adjudication offers rapid, cheap claims resolution, but has been hamstrung by doubts about how the courts would deal with it. After the latest pronouncement, however, everything is becoming clear.
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News
Contracting buoys Willmott Dixon profit
Growth in leisure and industrial markets helps group s pre-tax profit rise 12% to £2.52m.
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News
Rugby to close down plants
Materials producer Rugby Group is closing two UK door and window manufacturing plants after the strength of the pound caused a 20% dive in joinery sales last year. The company is now in advanced discussions to sell its joinery and US distribution divisions, so it can focus on ...
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Features
Pros and coms
Faced with a large and complex project for BAA, QS Currie & Brown developed its own software package ProCom to keep track of cost changes. How does it work?
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Features
Construction management
The second of our occasional series explaining procurement methods takes a look at what is involved in construction management.
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Features
Contract lure
Robert Smith of recruitment consultant Hays Montrose explains why more and more construction workers are turning to fixed-term contracts.
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News
Deregulation set to slash inspection cost
New rules will free local authority building inspectors to compete with private sector.