British Constructional Steelwork Association says steel contractors won't see a recovery is not expected till 2011

Steel prices are set to continue rising, with a recovery in the market not expected to get under way until 2011.

Speaking at the British Constructional Steelwork Association dinner last night, president Jack Sanderson said that 2010 is likely to be another very difficult year for steel contractors.

He said that the industry needed to expand its market opportunities, by working more with clients such as the Department of Energy and Climate Change for the new nuclear and renewable power generation programme.

Sanderson added: “Hopefully we are now at the bottom of the fall in steel construction demand.”

Meanwhile, BCSA has teamed up with Corus and Aecom to launch a Target Zero project study, which aims to generate fully costed solutions to meet the government's energy reduction targets.