Supply Chain

Contractors call for ‘rethink’ of ULEZ expansion plans

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A trade body representing builders and contractors has called for the Mayor of London to look again at the detail of plans to expand the capital’s ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) to include the outer boroughs. Despite the mayor recently announcing more generous scrappage payments for those affected, the National Federation…

Revenue up, profit down at rebranded demolition specialist

Specialists Awards 2014 entry Cantillon

Turnover grew but profit fell last year at Morrisroe Demolition Ltd, the firm formerly known as Cantillon, according to annual results released today. While company director Brian Morrisroe stated that the firm was pursuing a “significant pipeline” of work, he said he was wary of potential future headwinds. The demolition…

HSE plans site-safety crackdown in September

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Site managers and workers face a September and October of visits from safety inspectors cracking down on the proper moving and handling of materials. Construction News understands that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is planning to officially announce an intensification of safety checks at the end of August. Inspectors…

Major contractors admit they pay 20% of invoices late

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A swathe of major contractors are still failing to pay invoices on time, according to their own payment data. Build UK has compiled fresh payment-performance data on a range of tier one and specialist contractors, as well as clients, that have filed the information under the government's Duty to Report…

Court of Appeal brings clarity to provisions of the Building Safety Act

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Robert Adjetey is a construction and engineering disputes partner at Osborne Clarke The construction sector and developers have gained more certainty on post-Grenfell safety work issues from a recent ruling. The judgment by the Court of Appeal in URS Corporation Ltd v BDW Trading Ltd has widened the avenues for…

CMA accused of ‘errors’ over cover-bidding fines

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Two contractors fined a combined £22m for taking part in the demolition sector’s cover-bidding scandal have lodged appeals, claiming the competition watchdog made errors over defining the relevant market. In March, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) fined Keltbray, Squibb Group and eight other firms it found had colluded on…

Construction-equipment sector sees ‘robust’ growth despite challenges

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The UK construction-equipment sector saw its total revenue grow by 15 per cent to £15bn in the four years to 2022, according to a new report. The Construction Equipment Association's (CEA) UK Construction Equipment Sector Report for 2023 says the sector demonstrated “robust” growth despite the challenges brought by Brexit,…

Crooked House demolition plant hire owner: “I’ve done nothing wrong”

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The owner of the plant firm that owns the excavator used to demolish the 18th Century Crooked House pub in the West Midlands has denied any involvement in carrying out the work. South Staffordshire District Council has launched an investigation into potential breaches of planning and building laws after the…

Willmott Dixon to use pre-WWII steel beams for office refit

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Willmott Dixon will reuse 100 tonnes of 1930s steel salvaged from the former House of Fraser on London’s Oxford Street for an office retrofit near Tower Bridge. Developer FORE Partnership is removing the steel beams from the former department store, claiming it is the first time pre-Second World War steel…

Cost pressure from materials eases

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The cost of construction materials fell slightly in June, but prices remain higher than they were at the start of the year, according to official data. In monthly figures published by the Department for Business and Trade, the price index for materials in all construction work fell by 1.3 per…