M&A

The Competition and Markets Authority has issued a warning to the construction industry with a new campaign that asks firms if they are ‘Cheating or Competing?’ The warning comes on the back of several high-profile cases that the CMA has taken in the construction sector recently, where we found evidence…

No one likes nasty surprises. And that aversion is even more understandable when you’re a supplier, customer or employee who has been left in the lurch by a contractor that has called in the administrators. Last year, among thousands of business failures in the UK, Construction News reported on 22…

There was some cheer in the construction industry yesterday as HS2’s future was – apparently – confirmed by the prime minister. A pipeline of work worth billions and guaranteed for up to 20 years is now in place. Don’t be fooled, however, into thinking the way ahead is clear. There…

The prime minister’s fulsome backing for HS2 is good news for the construction sector. With luck, the Oakervee review will prove to be the final episode of government indecision about the landmark project, though I doubt it will be the last inquiry into it. But with a project of HS2’s…

Banks are still reeling from Carillion’s collapse and the industry is feeling the pinch. Where do tier ones go from here and has there been a more vigilant approach to finance reporting since?

Changes made to building regulations following the publication of the Hackitt final report in May 2018 have now been in force for more than a year. It seems a good time to review progress. The changes were followed by, and should now be read alongside, further guidance published in July…

Contractors often crumble with little warning from their financial accounts. Last year alone saw companies worth a combined £1.2bn collapse. Partly because the signs are so difficult to spot, employees and subcontractors can be left in the dark for years, unaware they are working for a business whose finances are…

During 2019, on average Construction News reported on a contractor administration almost once a fortnight. Reporter Megan Kelly and finance editor David Price explore the factors that cause a company to collapse, and how to spot the signs of a business in trouble

A new year rolls around with the associated resolutions to improve and make 2020 a better year than the one before. In reality 1 January is little different to 31 December, but the symbolism makes it feel like a new start and a different time. Unfortunately, personal resolutions have little…

When Clugston went under three weeks before Christmas, we really hoped it would be the last construction failure of 2019. It wasn’t. Last Friday the industry was hit with yet another contractor going to the wall as £80m Manchester-based Bardsley Construction entered administration. The collapse saw the immediate loss of 200…