Monthly construction output increased by 0.4% in volume terms in August 2022, which is the second consecutive monthly growth following the upwardly revised increase to 0.1% in July 2022 Commenting on last weeks ONS Construction Output for August, Stuart Law, CEO of the Assetz Group, said: “This month’s data reveals
The plant hire offering of leading heating, plumbing and air movement materials supplier TG Lynes has been enhanced by a substantial six-figure investment. The Enfield-based business has used the investment to further increase the size and variety of its range. More than 350 products are now available to hire from
Buckthorn Partners LLP (Buckthorn), a UK investment firm focused on energy services businesses, announces that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Amey Group PLC, a UK-headquartered infrastructure services and consulting engineering company, from Ferrovial S.A. (Ferrovial). Amey is a leading supplier to the UK government and public sector
Bluechain plans to reach 100,000 new customers in their first year, focusing on large businesses and SMEs with digital payment needs Bluechain, the fast-growing fintech startup that transforms the traditional payments and receivables process, has officially launched in the UK with their first customer, leading construction materials supplier, Aggregate Industries.
Family-run property developer and contractor Muir Group PLC has just announced its financial results for the year 2021/2022, ahead of its 50th anniversary. The results showed an increase in turnover on the previous financial year by nearly £22 million. Despite a challenging time for the whole sector, including margins being
The second annual social value benchmarking report has revealed that over £1bn of economic, social and environmental improvements were made by the UK construction industry last year. The Social Value in Construction Benchmarking Report was compiled jointly by social value measurement consultancy, Social Value Portal and SCAPE, one of the
With the current financial climate pulling sharply at purse strings, making your budget go further for a cost-effective project is more attractive than ever before. In this article, Simon Castle, Managing Director at fit-out specialists, Chisholm & Winch, will discuss ways in which main contractors can meet budget requirements without
Sciontec Developments, the commercial, spin-out property development company of KQ Liverpool, has announced it will be taking ownership Sensor City. The Liverpool-based hub for the development of sensor and IoT technologies will be joining the growing Sciontec group of innovation facilities, which already includes Liverpool Science Park. Sensor City, which
The Crown Estate and The British Marine Aggregate Producers Association (BMAPA) have published their 24th annual Area Involved report, detailing changes in the area of seabed licensed and dredged for marine aggregates during 2021. Key information from the report includes: A total of 21 million tonnes of sand and gravel
ONE of the UK’s leading multi-disciplinary property consultancy firms – EDGE PS – has revealed how a 40% year-on-year growth in turnover provided the momentum needed for the strategic launch of its Leeds office earlier this year. Since the office’s initial formation in January 2022, the company has further grown
Monthly construction output increased by 0.4% in volume terms in August 2022, which is the second consecutive monthly growth following the upwardly revised increase to 0.1% in July 2022 Commenting on last weeks ONS Construction Output for August, Stuart Law, CEO of the Assetz Group, said: “This month’s data reveals an increase in monthly construction output, rising for the second time consecutively. The data suggests that the heatwave in July inhibited construction growth, but as the high temperatures cooled towards the end of August, activity started to increase again. However, looking forward as we move out of summer, we cannot ignore broader socio-economic and political ongoings that are likely to have a significant impact over the winter months. The construction sector is among the industries that will be the hardest hit by the challenging economic environment. “This is particularly significant for SMEs who are disproportionately impacted by exponential increases in the cost of materials, labour shortages, rising energy bills, supply chain issues and the looming threat of at least a modest recession driven by sharply rising interest rates. This instability is also aggravated by uncertainty in economic policy that has often failed to prioritise small and medium sized businesses. As a result, we do expect construction to slow materially into 2023 as this combination of further factors comes to bear on the market. “While we have seen the UK construction industry welcome the new Energy Bill Relief Scheme from 1 October, the pressure will be on the Government to uphold long-term support for the sector in the face of steadily rising energy bills. “Whilst macro-economic conditions can’t be easily solved, a key solution to this is supporting SMEs through innovative funding solutions so they can properly play their part in boosting construction, and most importantly, meeting the urgent need for new homes as we face a housing crisis in the UK. SMEs are agile and favourable when it comes to sustainable growth in the construction sector and through revitalising the SME sector, we can support companies that are pioneering innovative construction methods. “Intervention couldn’t be more needed, particularly as high street banks are visibly pulling back funding due to decreasing risk appetite. Private investors already play a huge part in stimulating and mobilising the SME sector, but we need to consider the future of construction carefully and private investment needs to play a bigger part of supporting the sector going forward.”
The plant hire offering of leading heating, plumbing and air movement materials supplier TG Lynes has been enhanced by a substantial six-figure investment. The Enfield-based business has used the investment to further increase the size and variety of its range. More than 350 products are now available to hire from TG Lynes including benches, compressors, dehumidifiers, drills, gas bottles, pressguns, grinders, ladders, hand tools, staging and trestles. Steven Watts, recently appointed Plant Hire Manager at TG Lynes, said: “This is a significant development for our plant hire offering which already has a strong reputation for reliability and excellent customer service. “Extending our range will make a real difference to the day-to-day work of commercial heating and mechanical services engineers, particularly when they are seeking a piece of equipment they are using sparingly. “Convenience is a big part of our offering and giving customers the chance to purchase their materials and complete their plant hire requirements in a one-stop-shop is a real benefit which many companies operating a solely hire offering simply can’t provide.” Further investment is planned for 2023. Amongst the manufacturers that feature strongly in the TG Lynes hire range are Armorgard, Viega and REMS, for which TG Lynes is an authorised service depot, the only one in London and the South-East. All products are tested before each hire and are available on a minimum one-week agreement. Steven heads up a five-strong hire team at TG Lynes, including Gaetan Rene – part of TG Lynes Plant Hire for more than 45 years – and REMS service and calibration technician Nick Bryce. Leighton Hibbert specialises in Armorgard products while Cyrett Campbell focuses on customer service and latest hire trends. Steven added: “I’m privileged to have a strong, talented and knowledgeable team who are completely focused on delivering the best possible service to our customers and ensuring reliability and availability of hire equipment at all times. “People buy from people and I couldn’t have asked for a better group to deliver our hire offering.”
Buckthorn Partners LLP (Buckthorn), a UK investment firm focused on energy services businesses, announces that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Amey Group PLC, a UK-headquartered infrastructure services and consulting engineering company, from Ferrovial S.A. (Ferrovial). Amey is a leading supplier to the UK government and public sector with over 100-years of experience in innovative design and infrastructure management, maintenance, and upgrade, with core expertise in consulting and transport and built infrastructure management. Buckthorn will partner in this transaction with One Equity Partners, a middle market private equity firm focused on the industrial, healthcare, and technology sectors in North America and Europe. Buckthorn and OEP will invest in Amey to strengthen and grow the business and to access new opportunities, particularly in energy transition, where Amey is particularly well-placed to support the UK’s Net Zero ambitions. Nicholas Gee, Founding Partner at Buckthorn Partners, said: “Amey is at the heart of developing innovative routes to deliver the UK’s infrastructure needs. Amey’s consulting and engineering services are essential to expedite the energy transition by improving the performance of transport and building infrastructure. We are delighted to acquire a business with market leading capability in managing critical infrastructure and look forward to building on this capability and on Amey’s positive work in social value and sustainability. Our ownership will bring stability, investment and expertise to grow and develop the company. We have a strong track record of growing businesses and are excited about the prospect of working closely with Amey and its excellent workforce to shape the future of the business.”
Bluechain plans to reach 100,000 new customers in their first year, focusing on large businesses and SMEs with digital payment needs Bluechain, the fast-growing fintech startup that transforms the traditional payments and receivables process, has officially launched in the UK with their first customer, leading construction materials supplier, Aggregate Industries. The objective is to allow Aggregate Industries to digitise the billing, collections and reconciliation process with their SME customers. Bluechain sees the UK as a strategic marketplace for its current growth objectives and they plan to expand aggressively into the marketplace, aiming to reach 100,000 new customers by the end of their first year. With further global expansions already in the works, including Europe and Africa, Bluechain has their sights set on landing large businesses and SME customers across a range of sectors including utilities, wholesale, construction and professional services. The UK expansion follows a very successful Australian launch in the summer of 2020 focused on supporting SMEs. Bluechain has a growing number of customers and partners, including NRS Couriers, Rabbithole Café, Madcrew Wealth and Tuber. The Request to Pay (RtP) experts offer their platform to connect businesses and their customers in real-time, transforming the biller and payer experience and taking the reactive “black hole” of invoicing into an insightful and connected mutually beneficial relationship. As the global economy navigates rising inflation, energy prices and the cost of living, financial management and budgeting are more important than ever. Bluechain’s platform puts the control in the hands of the payee. Customers can schedule bills at a date that aligns with their payday and split payments into smaller amounts, pay in full or query their bill. With Bluechain’s network, businesses receive complete transparency on invoice status with live data to know when they will get paid. It also eliminates security risks as payment data is never in transit and verified billers no longer need to share risky text payment links. With 54% of banks and Payment Service Providers citing technology limitations and existing systems as their biggest obstacle, Bluechain provides a fully featured capability that can seamlessly plug into existing core platforms like ERPs, accounting platforms and CRMs. Tim Annis, UK Managing Director at Bluechain, said: “Businesses, such as Aggregate Industries and their customers are the backbone of the UK economy and this launch into the UK market is a great opportunity for Bluechain to help transform the payments experience particularly for SMEs. Bluechain’s platform takes businesses one step closer to their customers, and we are thrilled at the opportunities that this is bringing for UK customers. It’s great to be able to work with a partner like Aggregate Industries as we thrive together in delivering the best in class customer experience for billing and collections.” Phil Rice, Head of Credit at Aggregate Industries said: “Aggregate Industries and the broader Holcim Group are always looking for new ways to support and improve the customer experience. Through our open innovation platform, Holcim MAQER, we identify and partner with startups delivering the most impactful solutions that solve challenges for our customers and our own teams. Bluechain presents an opportunity to create a closer level of customer engagement. The focus on how we can help them become more digitally enabled whilst at the same time supporting the cost-to-service receivables makes it a win-win. Bluechain’s end-to-end approach presents just such a solution.” Stephen Bedggood, Vice President of Product at Bluechain added: “Bluechain’s launch in Australia has been very successful, with a significant number of small businesses and enterprises making or receiving payment via our platform. The expansion into the UK is a testament to the global success and impact we have had to date empowering businesses and customers in their payments journeys and I am excited to see this replicated in the UK market.” Philip King, Ex Small Business Commissioner and Advisor at Bluechain said: “One of the most challenging things for people to do in a cost of living crisis is pay, which is why it’s important to give customers the ability to do so efficiently. Bluechain’s technology takes payments and billing to the next level in a way that transforms how companies connect with their customers. Managing finances is at the front of people’s minds, and it is easy to lose sight of the person behind the invoice when focusing on the end goal of getting paid. Bluechain’s platform is customer-centric and gives the biller the visibility to meet their customer’s needs.” Bluechain is available now in the UK. For more information, please visit bluechain.com. Media inquiries, please contact: bluechain@hardnumbers.co.uk
Family-run property developer and contractor Muir Group PLC has just announced its financial results for the year 2021/2022, ahead of its 50th anniversary. The results showed an increase in turnover on the previous financial year by nearly £22 million. Despite a challenging time for the whole sector, including margins being squeezed and chronic skills and labour shortages, the group reported a pre-tax loss of £4.3 million as it restructured the revenue profile at Muir Homes. On the other hand, Muir Construction reported a turnover increase of £7 million, compared to last year’s. Main contributors to the positive news was the prompt completion of business facilities in Glasgow, as well as the M8 central belt. “We have a dedicated team working hard in very difficult and challenging times. The pandemic is over, but its legacy continues with price increases in raw materials, delays in the supply chain and a significant lack of skilled labour to support the construction sector,” said John Muir, Chairman of Muir Group. “Despite all these challenges and more likely in the coming years, Muir Group is well positioned for the future. We have made difficult decisions, particularly in rebuilding our revenue profile within Muir Homes and positive it will show healthy profit for future years.” Indeed, Muir Homes reported a loss for the financial year, because of issues such as expected margins on current sales and a more challenging property market in the North East. However, Muir Timber Systems had a busy year, turnover increasing by £3 million, reflecting the return to normal production following removal of restrictions post-COVID and increase in external sales. After a thorough review of the business, Muir Group will be focusing on diversifying and balancing its portfolio of housing developments throughout Scotland. Muir Homes is currently active on seven sites across the country with the aim of creating several hundred new homes, assisted by new sites opening in the coming year. “Looking ahead, to our 50th year in business next year, we see opportunities for the Group with Construction, Homes and Property Development working on major new projects alongside our Amazon business park continuing to provide revenues,” added John. “The construction industry in Scotland is flat out trying to regain lost ground and we are having to overcome these difficult conditions. Our increase in turnover, healthy cash balances, property and land assets put us in a good place to compete and contribute positively to Scotland’s economic recovery,” he concluded. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
The second annual social value benchmarking report has revealed that over £1bn of economic, social and environmental improvements were made by the UK construction industry last year. The Social Value in Construction Benchmarking Report was compiled jointly by social value measurement consultancy, Social Value Portal and SCAPE, one of the UK’s leading public sector procurement authorities. Released annually, the report sets a precedent for how the construction industry should be tackling social and economic value on its projects. This year’s report found that the construction industry achieved £1.08bn of social and local economic value in 2021, through significant investment in local communities. In comparison, last year’s report found that the delivery of social and local economic value was £949m for 2020, highlighting a 14 per cent increase in 12 months. Almost 20 per cent of total spend on projects was invested in social value initiatives, valuing £1.8bn. The North West far outperformed other regions in terms of social value delivery and was second highest after Scotland on local economic delivery. The South West had the lowest social and local economic value investment. However, geographical location and total number of projects will have impacted these figures. The report includes three case study examples from SCAPE framework partners delivering a variety of social value activities ranging from employing ex-offenders, and delivering a 100% spend with SMEs, to donating staff hours to local charities. All activities have been measured using the National TOMs standardised framework. Social Value and Performance Manager Alison Ramsey at SCAPE, said: “For publicly funded projects, improvement of the economic, social, and environmental wellbeing of the relevant area is an important procurement consideration. We undertake this benchmarking report as a vital investment in measuring success, helping organisations to understand what is being achieved today and what can be achieved in the future. “It is encouraging to see that the delivery of social value across the construction industry continues to improve and that contractors are supporting local communities for clients investing in the built environment. Not only does this report highlight what excellent work has been achieved so far, but it demonstrates how we can all build on these foundations to further improve performance in this area.” Nathan Goode, Chief Strategy Officer at Social Value Portal, added; “It may be a little early to talk about trends as such, but seeing year on year progress in social and local economic value delivered by the construction industry is a great start. “As the largest industry in the UK, employing over three million people and responsible for a large proportion of the UK’s carbon emissions, it is imperative that the sector leads the way in improving society, both in terms of tackling the climate emergency as well as improving the lives of the people who reside in the communities in which they operate. “The strongest argument for committing to social value generation could be financial: we all want a better world and a better future and delivering more social and local economic value will lead to a more prosperous future. I look forward to seeing further improvement in next year’s report.” Download the report.
With the current financial climate pulling sharply at purse strings, making your budget go further for a cost-effective project is more attractive than ever before. In this article, Simon Castle, Managing Director at fit-out specialists, Chisholm & Winch, will discuss ways in which main contractors can meet budget requirements without compromising on quality, when it comes to working collaboratively with a specialist fit-out contractor. Aside from the basics of insurances and liabilities, this piece offers tips and advice on what to look for when choosing a fit-out subcontractor that goes beyond just installation; such as working to rethink material selection, where required, after sight of architectural designs. And how a specialist fit-out contractor can manage the supply chain to find cost effective product alternatives that fit the brief whilst maximising the budget. The article will look into the importance of streamlined processes, meticulous planning and early engagement methods. Also, the importance of working with a company that offers end-to-end solutions and includes experts with specialist market knowledge who know their materials and ensure the cost and buildability of products is right (especially in the current climate of long lead times) whilst factoring in whole life costs. Finally, how considering a team that provides accountability and in-house installers to deliver the fit out, means acquiring no extra hidden costs through subcontracting third party installers.
Sciontec Developments, the commercial, spin-out property development company of KQ Liverpool, has announced it will be taking ownership Sensor City. The Liverpool-based hub for the development of sensor and IoT technologies will be joining the growing Sciontec group of innovation facilities, which already includes Liverpool Science Park. Sensor City, which is located on Copperas Hill in the Knowledge Quarter Liverpool Innovation District (KQ Liverpool), first opened in 2017 and was later closed during the national lockdown in December 2020. Although closed to the public, the building has played an important role as a vaccination centre for students and as part of a European Research programme. Sciontec has been working with Sensor City’s current owners, Liverpool John Moores University and the University of Liverpool, and key grant funders, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities to obtain the consents it needs and finalise a deal to transfer the ownership of the Sensor City company to Sciontec. “We are looking forward to finalising the details with Sciontec for the new investment in the building, which will enable us to drive forward research and business growth in the technology sector,” said Professor Keith George, chair of Sensor City Liverpool and Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange at Liverpool John Moores University. Upon completion of the deal, Sciontec’s shareholders, Liverpool John Moores University, the University of Liverpool, Liverpool City Council and Bruntwood SciTech, plan to invest in excess of £2 million to upgrade, modernise and relaunch Sensor City as a global hub for innovation, technology, digitalisation and the internet of things, building on its existing commitment to sensor technologies. This will include submitting planning proposals by the end of the year for the redevelopment and reconfiguration of Sensor City to provide additional innovative workspace and labs across its four floors. “This landmark deal with our University partners will mark an exciting transformation in the life of Sensor City. We are really looking forward to operating Sensor City alongside the successful Liverpool Science Park and further helping to create high value jobs and grow the City Region economy, through science and technology, health and wellbeing,” added Colin Sinclair, chief executive of KQ Liverpool and Sciontec. Sciontec completed a similar process in taking ownership of Liverpool Science Park in 2020, which saw occupancy levels improve significantly and increased retained profits over the last two years, with the three Science Park buildings operating at full capacity and over £1 million recently invested in the new entrance and other enhanced customer facilities. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction Industry News
The Crown Estate and The British Marine Aggregate Producers Association (BMAPA) have published their 24th annual Area Involved report, detailing changes in the area of seabed licensed and dredged for marine aggregates during 2021. Key information from the report includes: A total of 21 million tonnes of sand and gravel were dredged under Crown Estate licence in England and Wales during 2021 (compared to 18 million tonnes in 2020) The total area of seabed licensed in 2021 was 1,068km2 (1,055km2 in 2020) Dredging took place within 106 km2(10 per cent of the licensed area) compared with 101km2 (also 10 per cent) in 2020 The area of seabed dredged for more than 1 hour 15 minutes per year (high intensity – red on charts) was 6km2 (5km2 in 2020) 90 per cent of dredging activity carried out under Crown Estate licence took place from an area of 43km2 (42 km2 in 2020). Nick Everington, Marine Minerals Portfolio Manager for The Crown Estate, said: “As manager of the seabed around England, Wales and Northern Ireland, we work in partnership with industry to help support the sustainable use of sand and gravel resources. The annual ‘Area Involved’ report is an integral part of this, providing insight and data to improve our understanding and management of the marine environment over the long term. Our 24th annual report reflects the ongoing commitment from both The Crown Estate and industry to this important initiative.” Mark Russell, BMAPA Director, said: “UK Government has recognised that it is essential there is a sufficient supply of minerals to provide the infrastructure, buildings, energy and goods that our nations need, and marine aggregate supplies play an important role in meeting these needs in England and Wales. The area of seabed licensed and dredged remain key indicators of the UK marine aggregate sector’s performance and its potential to interact with both the environment and other marine users. The significant reductions in both of these over the last two decades reflect an industry committed to continual improvement.” The Area Involved initiative commenced in March 1999, when BMAPA and The Crown Estate made a public commitment to review all dredging licences on a rolling five-year basis, to publish an annual report detailing the extent of dredging activities within licensed areas, and to surrender areas no longer containing economically viable resources of marine sand and gravel. Alongside the Area Involved report, The Crown Estate has also published its 2022 Annual Review of the marine aggregates industry, containing data for the calendar year 2021. This provides a national and regional view of consented marine aggregate reserves and licensed output capacity, alongside details of the quantity of aggregates dredged, in terms of both their extraction and delivery location. It also provides case studies outlining major construction and coastal defence projects in which marine aggregates have been used, and updates on items of wider interest. Key points from the 2022 report include: There is an estimated national consented reserve of 338 million tonnes of aggregates, enough to meet current average demand levels for the next 21 years Marine aggregates provide over 20 per cent of the sand and gravel demand in England and Wales, with the majority of supply (nearly 90 per cent) used in high-value ready-mixed concrete and concrete products One-third of all primary aggregate demand in London and the South East of England is met from marine resources, whilst in South Wales over 90 per cent of the market demand for natural sand also comes from the sea A total of 4.3 million tonnes of aggregate materials were exported in 2021, primarily to Belgium and The Netherlands. Marine aggregates constitute a crucial component in the supply of building materials to support the development of the UK’s built environment. They currently supply around 25% of the sand and gravel used across England and Wales. In London, they meet around 50% of primary aggregate demand. They are also critical in developing climate change resilience for our coastal communities. Read the full reports on the Crown Estate website: The Crown Estate and BMAPA: The Area Involved 24th annual report (marine aggregate extraction 2021) The Crown Estate: Marine Aggregates Annual Review 2022
ONE of the UK’s leading multi-disciplinary property consultancy firms – EDGE PS – has revealed how a 40% year-on-year growth in turnover provided the momentum needed for the strategic launch of its Leeds office earlier this year. Since the office’s initial formation in January 2022, the company has further grown its regional portfolio of commissions and local resource to a team of 17 professionals, incorporating project and commercial management to building and digital surveying services. The expansion builds on the company’s continued business growth in its established bases in Nottingham, Sheffield, Birmingham and London, resulting in a 40% year-on-year increase in turnover from 2021 to 2022. To mark this strategic accelerated growth and commitment to delivering services within the Leeds city region, a special celebration with more than 200 key industry stakeholders and clients was hosted at the Dakota Hotel in Leeds at the start of September. The consultancy has a solid reputation for delivering a variety of services to national and international clients across the property and construction industry. EDGE PS is delivering both public / private sector projects across the region including supporting the strategy for reducing carbon and energy reduction for the University of Leeds in its target to achieve Net Zero by 2030. Nick Phelan, partner at EDGE PS, said: “The rapid expansion of our operations in Leeds and the wider northern regions signifies a major milestone for the company as a whole and is a reflection of the continued growth of the Company. We have been delivering key projects across the region for several years, our new Leeds office now provides further localised support to our key clients and partnerships across the region. “Our celebration event on Thursday was a fitting celebration to mark eight hugely successful months from our new base and we were delighted to be joined by some of our most supportive colleagues, clients and friends to mark the occasion.” EDGE PS’s regional healthcare portfolio includes Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS FT, Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS FT, Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Trust, and Sheffield Children’s Hospital. Clients in the wider West Yorkshire region include Leeds Bradford Airport, UNITY Doncaster, and Wykeland Group, along with household names B&Q and Johnson & Johnson. Through the team’s expertise in cost management, project management, health and safety advice, and building and digital surveying, EDGE PS has built a strong foundation for successful and continued expansion across the north of England. Its unique approach ensures that more than 86% of EDGE PS’s projects are sourced from repeat business. The Leeds office enables EDGE PS to build upon the company’s existing client base within Leeds and the wider West Yorkshire region in the business’ focus areas of, healthcare, schools & higher education, infrastructure, aviation, residential, retail, commercial and manufacturing sectors, food and drink, distribution, through both the public & private sectors over the coming years. Dale Rodgers, director at EDGE PS Leeds, added: “The meteoric success in the West Yorkshire area – both in terms of the quality and profile of our clients supported by the growth of our team since the start of the year – is testament to our professional approach, tailored service model and expertise of our staff. “It’s important to us that as we continue to expand, we retain our unique collaborative culture at heart to ensure EDGE PS remains a leading construction consultancy business across the UK.” For more information on EDGE PS and its services, follow the link for more information: https://www.edgeps.co.uk/
