Contractor fined £20,000 after four workers escaped tower block fire sparked by welding

A contractor has been fined £20,000 after four workers were forced to flee a high-rise roof fire in Surrey caused by sparks from welding work. The four subcontractors were carrying out work for C Watkins Plumbing Ltd. They were installing an air source heat pump… The post Contractor fined £20,000 after four workers escaped tower block fire sparked by welding appeared first on Construction News.

Up to 10 sites targeted for £700m Strategic Sites Accelerator funding

The Government has outlined how its £700m Strategic Sites Accelerator would support up to 10 industrial and commercial sites, following the package’s announcement in last week’s Budget. A Budget document said the programme would mobilise around £700m through the Office for Investment and the National… The post Up to 10 sites targeted for £700m Strategic Sites Accelerator funding appeared first on Construction News.

Housing contractor becomes latest member of employee-ownership club

A Hertfordshire housebuilder has become the latest construction firm to move to employee ownership. Rickmansworth-based Bugler Group announced last Friday (30 October) that it had completed its conversion from a family business to an employee ownership trust (EOT). Andy, Kieran and Denis Bugler, three brothers… The post Housing contractor becomes latest member of employee-ownership club appeared first on Construction News.

Tier ones among 20 firms picked for £600m airports framework

VolkerFitzpatrick, Galliford Try and Bam's facilities management (FM) arm have been named among 20 contractors selected for a construction framework covering three UK airports. Manchester Airports Group (MAG) appointed the firms to its Small to Medium Construction Works Framework, covering Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands… The post Tier ones among 20 firms picked for £600m airports framework appeared first on Construction News.

‘Weak market conditions’ trigger Ibstock profit warning

Brick manufacturer Ibstock has blamed “weak market conditions” after it issued a profit warning. On Monday, the listed Leicestershire-based firm said it expected its full-year adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to be in the mid-£40m range. The company's share price, which… The post ‘Weak market conditions’ trigger Ibstock profit warning appeared first on Construction News.

CN - Finally, a playbook to reverse low productivity, 022023

This article in Construction News advocates the guidance and use of 'The private section construction playbook' (a copy of which is attached below). The recommended approaches in preparing and managing our projects to achieve imporved productivity are highlighted

CN - Supply chain in danger as smaller firms hit by economic challenges, 022023

This CN article shows on a monthly basis, the number of companies that have gone into Administration since September 2021, and highlights that 23 'small' construction firms went into Administration in (the usually quiet month of) December 2022

CN - Future Freeze - Autumn Statement, 022023

David Prosser comments on the Government's Autumn Statement and the impact this can have on the Construction Industry

CN - Five years of inaction on retentions reform is totally unacceptable, 022023

Rudi Klein gives his view on retentions and the impact it has on supply chain firms

CN - Are 3D-printed homes about to hit the mainstream, 05122022

There has been a recent uplift in the creation of and interest in 3D-printed developments. As the construction industry tries to keep up with the government's affordable-housing targets and the deadline for Net Zero gets closer, could 3D-printed homes provide some of the answers to the issues facing the Housing development sector - and what do contractors and developers need to know when using 3D-printing technology in this space?

Are you familiar with construction timelapse monitoring technology?