A poll of 100 members of the National Federation of Builders (NFB) revealed Brexit leanings. Asked if the UK would benefit from being in or out of the European Union, 43% said they would like to leave, 39 are in the Remain camp and 18 are still undecided. When asked
Continuing recovery at Severfield, Britain’s biggest structural steelwork contractor, has seen it grow revenues and return to profit. Above: Severfield is Carillion’s steelwork contractor on the Anfield stadium redevelopment in Liverpool For the year to 31st March 2016 Severfield made a pre-tax profit of £9.64m on revenue up 19% to
Electricians in Reading, has been named Which? Trusted Trader of the Year 2016. Based in Berkshire, Electricians in Reading provides a range of services to commercial and domestic clients. The firm, which was founded in 2012, is both an Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) member, and an Elecsa registrant.
©Getty Gas prices touched nearly $3 per thousand cubic feet Thursday, the highest in a year Southwestern Energy, a big US natural gas driller, has nice timing. Good thing; companies wrestling with big debt need it. It rebuilt its debt and equity structure in the past few days, a very
19 September 2016 | Jamie Harris Servest has won a five-year contract with Imperial War Museums (IWM). The contract, which begins in November, sees Servest responsible for soft services, including cleaning, front-of-house services, waste management and pest control at the Imperial War Museum London, the Churchill War Rooms, HMS
More than 300 started out but the quest to be crowned NICEIC and ELECSA Apprentice of the Year is now down to the final eight. The contest – launched in conjunction with partner sponsor, Scolmore Group – recognises the talents of the brightest electrical students in the
In an industry that is forever changing and adapting, it can sometimes be hard to stay on top of all the latest construction and mining news. If we consider how far we have come since the days where we would have to do all the work machines do today by
The North Kent Enterprise zone was announced in the Autumn Statement in November 2015 by Chancellor of the Exchequer. The plans were for 26 new or extended enterprise zones to be added to the 24 zones that were created in 2012. These Enterprise Zones are thought to be a key
BAM Construct UK has announced that they have a new charity partner. The construction company has teamed up with CLIC Sargent, the children’s cancer support charity. Bam has also pledged to raise £100,000 for the charity over the next two years. The money that is raised by the construction company
Nicola Yates OBE has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Future Cities Catapult. Yates will begin her role on the 22nd May 2017. Future Cities Catapult is a company that works to expand companies in order to improve cities. The company aims to allow other businesses, universities and
A poll of 100 members of the National Federation of Builders (NFB) revealed Brexit leanings. Asked if the UK would benefit from being in or out of the European Union, 43% said they would like to leave, 39 are in the Remain camp and 18 are still undecided. When asked about the implication of a UK withdrawal from the EU on their business, 47 said their business would benefit from leaving the EU, with 33 stating that staying in would be of greater benefit. The people of the UK vote on the future of the country’s membership of the European Union on 23rd June. This article was published on 27 May 2016 (last updated on 27 May 2016). Source link
Continuing recovery at Severfield, Britain’s biggest structural steelwork contractor, has seen it grow revenues and return to profit. Above: Severfield is Carillion’s steelwork contractor on the Anfield stadium redevelopment in Liverpool For the year to 31st March 2016 Severfield made a pre-tax profit of £9.64m on revenue up 19% to £239.4m (2015: £201.5m). The previous year it has lost £191,000 before tax, although that figure included a £6m provision for the cost of replacing faulty bolts in the Leadenhall Building (aka the Cheesegrater). Bolt replacement work has continued this year and is finally nearly complete. No further provision has been made in the 2016 accounts as the £6m taken last year should cover it. In fact, Severfield still hopes it might get some of this back. The lawyers of various parties continue to argue over where the liability for the total remedial works costs should rest. The underlying operating margin has increased from 4.5% to 5.7%, achieving the target set three years ago at the time of the rights issue, when Severfield had just announced a significant loss. The UK order book is now at its highest level for more than six years, currently standing at £270m, up from £185m seven months ago. Chief executive Ian Lawson said: “Severfield has had a strong year with excellent revenue and profit growth and a good cash performance. Our increased profitability is as a result of our focus on operational improvements and efficiencies over the last three years and with the strength of the platform from which the group now operates and the opportunity for further margin improvement, our target is now to double our underlying profit before tax over the next four years. “With the current UK order book at its highest level for over six years and a continued stable market environment, the group is well placed to continue delivering against its near-term financial targets whilst continuing to build for the longer term. Overall the outlook remains encouragingly positive.” He added: “Particularly pleasing are the inroads that we have made into the infrastructure market, with our enhanced bridge capability we have secured work with the infrastructure teams of Costain, Skanska, BAM and Hochtief, working on contracts for Network Rail and Highways England. These relationships will serve us well in the future as we expect to see growth in the infrastructure market over the coming years.” However, Severfield’s Indian joint venture continues to lose money. It is profitable at an operating level but cannot afford its debt burden. Severfield’s share of the loss was £300,000 for the past year. There was some disruption during the year when Tata closed its UK steel plate production facility in December 2015. Severfield managed to secure alternative sources of supply for all its plate requirements. Mr Lawson said: “While some of the issues around the UK steel industry have been highly publicised and a source of concern for many, it is important to recognise that only around 40% of steel used in UK construction is produced in the UK, the majority being imported. Nevertheless, I am pleased to report that we have managed the changes which affect us with no disruptive impact on the business.” Tata’s facility has since been bought by Greybull Capital, and re-named British Steel. This article was published on 15 Jun 2016 (last updated on 15 Jun 2016). Source link
Electricians in Reading, has been named Which? Trusted Trader of the Year 2016. Based in Berkshire, Electricians in Reading provides a range of services to commercial and domestic clients. The firm, which was founded in 2012, is both an Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) member, and an Elecsa registrant. On hearing his company had won the award, managing director Chris Gordon commented: “This is fantastic news. Electricians in Reading worked very hard to get to the Which? Awards and are we are delighted to have won this prestigious industry accolade.” South Central deputy regional manager Phip Woodhatch of the ECA added: “We are delighted that ECA member-firm ‘Electricians in Reading’ have been recognised by Which? for their high quality work and service. “The success of Electricians in Reading is a testament to the levels of technical capability, professionalism and expertise offered by ECA members to their clients.” Emma Clancy, CEO of Certsure, which operates the Elecsa and NICEIC brands, commented: “The Elecsa and Which? Trusted Trader logos provide consumers with the added peace of mind that they are hiring a qualified professional they can trust. Choosing a registered electrical contractor is always a householder’s best option and we are pleased to see Electricians in Reading pick up this prestigious award.” Paul Smith, managing director for Which? Trusted Traders, said: “It’s great to see a Which? Trusted Trader like Electricians in Reading recognised for the importance they place on putting customers at the heart of their business.” Last year Electricians in Reading was shortlisted for the Which? Trusted Trader award, and the firm has also been named Which? Trusted Trader of the Month twice. Source link
©Getty Gas prices touched nearly $3 per thousand cubic feet Thursday, the highest in a year Southwestern Energy, a big US natural gas driller, has nice timing. Good thing; companies wrestling with big debt need it. It rebuilt its debt and equity structure in the past few days, a very good moment to do so. Its shares have rallied deliriously this year as the natural gas price has spiked — by 30 per cent this month alone. Money is again available to the sector, as long as the cash goes to fixing the balance sheet rather than digging and drilling. Southwestern’s latest balance sheet features $4.8bn in net debt, including bonds and bank debt that come due in 2018. Despite this year’s share rally, its market cap of $4.9bn is still a third lower than it was two years ago. Its first action this week was to refinance and push out both a credit facility and a bank loan due in two years to 2020, in exchange for somewhat higher interest payments and tighter terms. Then, on Wednesday, the master stroke: Southwestern sold $1.1bn worth of stock, growing its share count by a fifth, to fund $750m worth of bond buybacks and a bank loan repayment. Its stock price fell about a tenth in response to the dilution. This was a very mild response, given the immense size of the offering and the rally in the company’s shares in recent months. This may reflect renewed optimism for gas producers whose fortunes were brutalised by an oversupply problem even more acute than the one that has plagued the oil market. Gas prices touched nearly $3 per thousand cubic feet on Thursday, the highest in a year. A hotter summer has slowed the swelling of inventories. Production growth has also flattened, with the Department of Energy forecasting only a 1 per cent rise in output this year. Nearly two years ago, famed shale gas pioneer Chesapeake Energy tried to clean up its own capital structure by selling $4bn of assets to Southwestern, which was then chasing growth. Time teaches hard lessons, but Southwestern has learnt them. Email the Lex team at lex@ft.com Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2016. You may share using our article tools. Please don’t cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web. Source link
19 September 2016 | Jamie Harris Servest has won a five-year contract with Imperial War Museums (IWM). The contract, which begins in November, sees Servest responsible for soft services, including cleaning, front-of-house services, waste management and pest control at the Imperial War Museum London, the Churchill War Rooms, HMS Belfast, Duxford, and the Libeskind building in Manchester. Servest is also set to deliver event support at the sites, which include three annual two-day air shows at Duxford in Cambridgeshire. Rob Legge, Servest Group CEO UK and Europe, said: “The organisation’s five sites, including both World War I and II buildings, bring with them a specific set of challenges that Servest has experience managing. We are all very excited to be working with such a prolific arts and culture organisation.” IWM handed the security services contract to the Shield Group in April 2014, while Levy Restaurants, part of Compass Group, secured a £36 million, five-year catering contract with the museum group 12 months ago. Source link
More than 300 started out but the quest to be crowned NICEIC and ELECSA Apprentice of the Year is now down to the final eight. The contest – launched in conjunction with partner sponsor, Scolmore Group – recognises the talents of the brightest electrical students in the UK and is now down to the decisive stage. The remaining students will have to complete several practical tests and undergo a short interview with industry legends Tony Cable and Darren Staniforth before the winner of the first ever NICEIC and ELECSA Electrical Apprentice of the Year is announced. The Grand Final takes place at Scolmore’s headquarters in Tamworth, Staffordshire, on 9 June. Julie Blake, senior marketing manager at Certsure, which operates the NICEIC and ELECSA brands, said: “It has been a tough process but we are excited about the upcoming final“Apprentices are the lifeblood of our industry and it has been encouraging to see how committed they have been. The overall standard and general level of enthusiasm shown by everyone is a credit to the industry.” The final eight are:Chris Powell, 23, from WakefieldScott Lewis, 19, from DevonBenjamin Vanstone, 18 from Weston Super MareMichael Wooley, 20, from TelfordDominic Ede, 21, from CornwallJoshua Casey, 21, from HalifaxRobbie McGowan, 21, from YorkshireMark Lee, 22, from Essex The finalists have had to battle through two stages of the contest, which began in December 2015. The first stage of the contest was an online exam comprising of a variety of questions relating to electrical installations. The top 20% performing students from that stage then progressed to stage 2 – a practical one-hour exam held at one of seven locations across the UK. Marie Parry, Scolmore Group’s marketing director said: “We understand the importance of supporting the industry and we are committed to playing our part to help the electricians of today and tomorrow to develop their skills and grow their businesses. We are delighted to be involved with the Apprentice of the Year and the results so far demonstrate that there is a wealth of talent out there and that bodes well for the future of the industry.” Each finalist will now receive an iPad with a host of other prizes up for grabs including a £2000 holiday voucher for the winner, which can be spent on a trip of their choice. There is a £500 holiday voucher for the runner up. Source link
In an industry that is forever changing and adapting, it can sometimes be hard to stay on top of all the latest construction and mining news. If we consider how far we have come since the days where we would have to do all the work machines do today by hand, the significance of knowing about and understanding the latest developments is truly highlighted. The following news has been collated from happenings across the globe, which also shows the wide-reaching and global significance of this industry and why it is so important to remain knowledgeable about the developments taking place within it. Drone Adaptation The power of drones has yet to reach its full potential and this is made all the more evident in the fact that drones are now being adapted to be used in the mining and agriculture. Drones essentially are being programmed to offer more advanced solution to problems on construction sites, mines and quarries. From a safety point of view, drones could also be really beneficial with minimising the risks faced by construction workers on a daily basis, something which is very much welcomed. EW60E Wheeled Excavator Introduced Volvo has just debuted its latest EW60E wheeled excavator that not only offers increased efficiency but also a smaller engine. This development has proven to be very popular with the construction industry who are always looking ahead to make the work they do more efficient. The excavator even features a number of attachments such as a hydraulic coupler and is compatible with other hydraulic breakers. Sand Prices on the Rise According to the reports of certain construction stakeholders, there has been concern with regards to the fact that the price of sand needed for construction work has increased considerably in recent months in Asia. This has also coincided with the fact that other raw materials are also seeing an increase in price which is hitting the industry badly in the fact as it now cost more to extract the materials and transport them too. With sand and gravel being the most extracted material in the world, the problem of expensive sand is likely to have a significant impact on the rest of the construction industry, globally. Women in Construction The Mining Journal has recently reported on the increase in the number of women learning about construction in the form of electricity, welding and woodwork. While this is not directly related to mining, it is significant in the fact that it suggests that more women are being encouraged to take on careers that would have previously been considered to be male dominated. Through encouraging the younger generation to see construction as not just offering career opportunities for one gender, this is likely to have a significant impact on the future of construction and related industries. The future of the mining and construction industries is beginning to shift and this is significant in the fact that it is pioneering the change of challenging gender roles in the workplace.
The North Kent Enterprise zone was announced in the Autumn Statement in November 2015 by Chancellor of the Exchequer. The plans were for 26 new or extended enterprise zones to be added to the 24 zones that were created in 2012. These Enterprise Zones are thought to be a key part of the strategy laid out by the government to create local area growth in a number of different areas around the country. The North Kent Enterprise Zone has gone live, which will give financial incentives for businesses that relocate there. The Enterprise Zones are offering benefits including business rate discounts that could be worth anything up to £55,000 for 5 years. The plan is that the uplift generated by the business rates will be retained by their local authorities in order to allow them to invest it locally in economic growth. The funds will be retained by the authorities for 25 years, which should allow them to get the best investment possible from the uplift. The North Kent Enterprise Zone was expected to begin on the 1st April. It is thought that the new Enterprise Zone will create growth in the local area and also lead to more jobs being generated. The business rates discounts will be available to those who move to the Enterprise Zone by 31st March 2022. There are three different schemes that make up the North Kent Enterprise Zone: Ebbsfleet Garden City, Kent Medical Campus and Rochester Airport Technology Park. The Enterprise Zones are already in progress, and it is thought that the first tenants at the Zones will be welcomed at some point next year. The Local Growth Minister, Andrew Percy has said that their plans for these Enterprise Zones is to stimulate business growth by providing the right environment for them. These Enterprise Zones are intended in order to strengthen the British economy. It is thought that the Enterprise Zones will be a strong platform for businesses to expand and develop.
BAM Construct UK has announced that they have a new charity partner. The construction company has teamed up with CLIC Sargent, the children’s cancer support charity. Bam has also pledged to raise £100,000 for the charity over the next two years. The money that is raised by the construction company will mean that more children and young people that have cancer are able to thrive instead of survive during and after their treatment. The team at BAM Construct have chosen CLIC Sargent as their new charity after inviting a number of different charities to pitch for the position of their new charity partner. The pledge by Bam to raise £100,000 could mean that CLIC Sargent would be able to provider more than 4,000 hours of support for the young cancer patients as well as offering support for their families. CLIC Sargent’s team of nurses, social workers and frontline medical staff based around the UK fight to reduce the impact cancer causes areas beyond the child or young person’s health by looking to reduce disruption in areas such as education, social life, finances and future prospects. BAM Construct will be carrying out employee fundraising activities in order to raise funds to meet the target that they have set. On top of this there will also be opportunities for members of the BAM team to volunteer at the CLIC Sargent ‘Homes from Home’ facilities. These are houses that are close to specialist treatment hospitals around the UK and are offered as free accommodation to the families when they child is undergoing treatment. The charity has welcomed the support offered by their position as charity partner for Bam Construct UK, and it is hoped that the money raised by the construction company will make a significant difference to the patients that are helped by CLIC Sargent.
Nicola Yates OBE has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Future Cities Catapult. Yates will begin her role on the 22nd May 2017. Future Cities Catapult is a company that works to expand companies in order to improve cities. The company aims to allow other businesses, universities and city leaders the opportunity to work together to find solutions for their cities now and in the future. Future Cities Catapult has an Urban Innovation Centre in London where they offer their world class facilities and expertise in order to offer support in order for new products and services to be developed. The facility also offers an environment for collaboration and space to test different ideas and improve on business model plans. Nicola Yates has worked within the sector of urban regeneration over the past 10 years. Nicola Yates has been known as a leading thinker and practitioner in her previous roles. Nicola has also held the position of CEO before her appointment at Future Cities Catapult. Those previous positions of CEO were at Bristol City and Hull City Councils as well as North Shropshire District Council. Nicola Yates has been part of the successful Bristol Is Open campaign that took place in 2014 in which she worked with Nokia, NEC and Interdigital Ltd. Hopefully Nicola will be equally as successful in her new position. Also during Nicola’s time in her position at Bristol City Council the city was awarded with the European Green Capital 2015 by the European Commission. The UK City Index also named Bristol the leading smart city outside London during Nicola’s time there as well as being nominated by the Sunday Times as the ‘Best Place to Live’ in England in 2016. Future Cities is recognised around the world as a centre for urban innovation excellence. The current CEO, Peter Madden OBE will be on hand to support Nicola Yates as she transitions in tot the role, and will also stay on hand for 12 months in a part time ambassador role in order to allow for continuity during the change.
