Supply Chain

North East steel supplier set for liquidation

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A County Durham-based structural steel supplier and installer is set to be liquidated next week, Construction News can reveal. Intelligent Steel Solutions Ltd, which operates from a three-hectare site in Peterlee, provides cold-formed structural steel to construction projects. Its website says its services include light gauge cold form structural steel,…

Hive of activity: Scaffolding Manchester Town Hall

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With a tight, city-centre location and listed status to deal with, scaffolding Manchester Town Hall has thrown up some unique challenges Scheme: Our Town Hall (Manchester Town Hall restoration and refurbishment) Client: Manchester City Council Main contractor: Lendlease Construction (Europe) Ltd Scaffolding contractor: Lyndon SGB Hoist contractor: Taylor’s Hoists Overall…

Materials suppliers cash in on price inflation

Cement concrete materials

Three major construction materials companies have reported substantial increases in revenue and profit in 2022, after hiking prices to cover rising input costs. Breedon Group saw its revenue rise by 13 per cent to £1.39bn, while pre-tax profit increased by 19 per cent to £136m. This was despite sales in…

Sharing the load: are fixed-price contracts a thing of the past?

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With many subcontractors bitterly regretting the fixed-price contracts they signed before inflation spiralled, James Wilmore asks whether fluctuation clauses and advance payments will become the norm “Collaborative risk-sharing will be key to preserving industry resilience and capacity moving forward.” These were the words of the Construction Leadership Council’s (CLC) product…

Travis Perkins expects more price inflation

Travis Perkins warehouse builders merchant materials supplier

Travis Perkins has predicted that price inflation will carry on throughout what it says will be a “challenging” 2023. In its financial results for the year to 31 December 2022, the UK’s largest builders merchant said that, although inflation was moderating, it did not anticipate any “notable deflation” in manufactured…

Challenging times ‘far from over’ as commodity prices to stay high

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Rampant construction commodity prices show little sign of easing, according to a new analysis. Construction consultancy Linesight says in a new report that although the across-the-board hyperinflation experienced last year is now over, prices are set to remain high, driven by the cost of energy and a lack of required…

Survey reveals lack of progress on construction diversity

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Major gaps remain despite small steps on diversity and inclusion in the built environment workforce, according to the results of a new employee survey. The survey from the Sustainability Tool and the Supply Chain Sustainability School’s Fairness, Inclusion and Respect (FIR) Programme covered 339,912 employees working in 270 companies in…

Dwindling demand for heavy materials raises red flag

Cement concrete materials

Demand for heavy materials such as steel, bricks and timber has continued to fall in response to the slowdown in the new-build sector, according to the latest sector analysis. In the last quarter of 2022, a fifth of heavy-side manufacturers reported that sales of construction products dipped, marking a second…

Contractors alerted to £545m M&E framework

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Framework provider Pagabo has put contractors on alert for a £545m mechanical and electrical solutions framework. A range of specialist mechanical and electrical (M&E) subcontractors will be appointed to the four-year framework, which has been designed to respond to growing demand for M&E expertise across the public sector. According to…

Fast-growing floor specialist collapses into administration

Closed construction site

A floor specialist that has worked with major contractors including Buckingham Group and Sir Robert McAlpine has collapsed into administration. Malin Industrial Concrete Floors Ltd, a £25.6m-turnover company specialising in flooring production, appointed Mazars as administrators this week. The Manchester-based firm had a strong profile of work producing specialised flooring,…