Lead times: October-December 2017

01 / Staying level

▶ Piling (rotary)
▶ Piling (precast)
▶ Concrete works
▶ Structural steel frames
▶ Cladding – natural materials
▶ Cladding – metal panellised
▶ Cladding – curtain walling systems
▶ Atrium roofs
▶ Roof finishes – asphalt/membrane 
▶ Roof finishes – profiled metal
▶ Facade cleaning equipment
▶ Brickwork
▶ Blockwork
▶ Metal doors
▶ Drylining
▶ Demountable partitions
▶ General joinery
▶ Specialist bespoke joinery
▶ Raised floors
▶ Suspended ceilings
▶ Architectural metalwork
▶ Decorative wall coverings
▶ Internal stone floor and wall finishes
▶ Soft floor finishes
▶ Passenger lifts (non-standard)
▶ Escalators
▶ Electrical package
▶ Mechanical package
▶ Ductwork
▶ Sprinklers
▶ Security systems
▶ Controls
▶ IT Infrastructure equipment
▶ Data and voice cabling
▶ Fire detection and voice alarm systems
▶ Hard landscaping
▶ Logistics services

02 / Lead times summary

Rotary piling ▶ companies are reporting no change in the 10-week lead times this quarter. Generally the demand in the next six months is quieter but companies do not anticipate lead times changing.

Pre-cast piling ▶ lead times remain at four weeks, and workload over the next six months remains the same as the previously anticipated reduction did not materialise.

Concrete works ▶ lead times remain at 10 weeks, and contractor enquiry levels remain static and do not anticipate any further change to their lead times over the next six months. Structural steel frames    lead times remain the same having increased by one week to 17 weeks last quarter. 

Cladding – natural material ▶ lead times remain at 39 with no change for over a year and no change anticipated in the next six months, and cladding – metal panellised system    lead times remain at 50 weeks with contractors anticipating no increases in the next six months. Cladding – curtain walling system   lead times stand at 31 weeks. This data has been restated to reflect better information available.

Atrium roof ▶ lead times remain at 31 weeks with no changes reported. Roof finishes – asphalt / membrane    remains at seven weeks and roof finish – profiled metal   lead times remain at 15 weeks. With enquiries and workload consistent, contractors do not anticipate an increase for either in the next six months. 

Facade cleaning equipment ▶ lead times remain at 33 weeks and contractors continue to be busier compared with six months ago but they do not anticipate any change over the next six months.

Brickwork ▶ lead times remain at 11 weeks. Blockwork   lead times remain at seven weeks.

Dry lining ▶ lead times remain at 12 weeks and demountable partitions   at 11 weeks, with no increase anticipated over the next six months.

General joinery ▶ lead times remain at 16 weeks with no further increases anticipated in the next six months, with no change to workload and enquiries. Specialist joinery   due to improved data has been restated at 24 weeks.

Raised floors ▶ lead times remain at six weeks with no changes reported. Suspended ceiling   lead times remain at 13 weeks with no change reported. 

Architectural metalwork ▶ lead time remains at 14 weeks no further increases despite a reported increase in enquiries and workload. 

Decorative wall covering ▶ lead times remain at four weeks. Internal stone floor and wall finish   lead time remains at 34 weeks. No changes are anticipated in the next six months, despite enquiries and workload declining in the past six months.

Soft floor finish ▶ lead times remain at 11 weeks. The previously reported increase in enquiries and workload has now levelled off.

Passenger lift – non-standard ▶ lead times remain at 35 weeks. Companies are currently busier but do not anticipate any changes for next six months.Escalator   lead times remain at 19  weeks.

Electrical package ▶ lead times remain at 20 weeks and while contractors are busier they do not forecast any increase in the next six months.

Mechanical packages ▶ lead times remain at 23 weeks, enquiry levels are on the increase but contractors do not anticipate lead times changing in the next six months.

Ductwork ▶ lead times remains at eight weeks with no change forecast for the next six months. Sprinklers   lead times remain at eight weeks and though contractors are busier they do not forecast an increase in lead times over the next six months.

Security systems ▶ lead times remain at six weeks with no changes reported. Controls   lead times remain at nine weeks. Enquiries and workload remains stable with no changes in lead times anticipated in the next six months.

IT infrastructure equipment ▶ lead times remain at 10 weeks. Data and voice cabling   lead times remain at 13 weeks with no changes forecast.

Fire detection and voice alarm systems ▶ lead times remains at five weeks.

Hard landscaping ▶ lead times remain at 15 weeks.

Logistics services ▶ lead times remain at five weeks, there is no change forecast in the next six months.

There are no changes in lead times this quarter, which follows a trend over the past three quarters indicating that the market is levelling off at its peak. The majority of the companies also see their level of enquiries and order book levelling off therefore no major changes are anticipated in the next quarter. 

Data capture and analysis by Mace Business School. For more details on the article and the contributors please visit www.macegroup.com/people/suppliers.