Lead times

Piling→ remains steady at four weeks, although previous reports had suggested the lead time would fall. No problems are reported with precast companies, which maintain a continuous stock base. Most suppliers are still busier with enquiries and projects than six months ago.

The lead time for atrium roofing↑ has increased again and now stands at 30 weeks, although six months ago it was not expected to rise past the 28 weeks then quoted. A shortage of skilled draughtsman has added three weeks to the design period, although procurement improvements have offset this to give an overall increase in lead time of just one week.

High-performance glass remains a problem for the metal windows→ sector, but lead time nevertheless remains unchanged at 14 weeks. Glass factory shutdowns next year will, however, have an impact on lead time. Glass prices are rising and shortages are almost certain in 2001, when plants close for refurbishment.

Roof finishes (profiled metal)→ remains unchanged at 11 weeks – a worst-case lead time, according to companies.

Lead time for drylining, plaster and screeds→ is still 10 weeks, but the three weeks needed for procurement is long for a product usually supplied from stock. This should fall again in 2001, but the pressure of high work volumes on suppliers may reduce the availability of their specialist advice in the short term. The labour situation is better than six months ago.

A one-week rise in the lead time to 11 weeks for demountable partitions↑ was attributed by companies to an increase in manufacturing time. The time taken to ship materials from European suppliers is not taken into account, but the six weeks quoted for materials procurement and manufacture is not a generous allowance, and some systems may take longer, particularly if site measurements are required.

General joinery→ lead time remains steady at 14 weeks. Some hardwoods are increasingly difficult to obtain and prices are now beginning to escalate along the supply chain.

An increase of one week in procurement time means that the specialist bespoke joinery↑ lead time now stands at 18 weeks, an increase of one week. This is partly attributable to the traditional August shutdowns in France and Germany. Companies are busier with enquiries than they were six months ago, and good labour remains at a premium. One company noted that timber from managed resources was not coming into the market in sufficient volume.

The lead time for raised floors↓ dropped two weeks to 10 weeks. Lengthening design and manufacturing periods had added three weeks in April, but materials are more readily available now. While enquiries are still plentiful, all firms report a fall in orders since April.

Suspended ceilings→ still require a wait of 17 weeks. This reflects the requirements for custom-made metal systems, now commonly specified in office buildings. For a standard system, lead time is closer to 12 weeks, while

8-10 weeks remains a valid manufacturing period for metal ceiling products.

Decorations (wall coverings)→ remains unusually high at five weeks, because firms are still busy. The next report will probably show a reduction as projects reach completion.

Lead time for escalators→ is steady at 20 weeks, with no significant changes to report.

A further two-week increase took the lead time for mechanical pipework↑ to 15 weeks. Design staff are difficult to obtain for projects on site and there is still a shortage of installation labour. Procurement time has increased as certain specialists are quoting worst-case dates to ensure that they do not fail to fulfil orders.

Overall, a lack of managerial and design staff in some sectors is having a notable impact on lead times. Although labour shortages remain a general problem, most companies are coping well and August shutdowns have had little impact.

Sectors dependent on the glass industry continue to report price increases and materials shortages. The plate factory shutdowns for maintenance refurbishment that are expected next year will exacerbate the situation, and 2001 may be a tough time for many cladding companies trying to procure goods.