Kier Construction hires Careys sustainability chief

This latest appointment builds on the Group’s newly-formed Responsible Business team and underlines its commitment to sustainably delivering infrastructure which is vital to the UK.

Baker, who has joined from contractor Careys where she was also sustainability lead, will be responsible for delivering Kier Construction’s targets.

These include achieving net zero carbon across business operations by 2039, eliminating avoidable waste by 2035, the delivery of 30p in every £ of impactful social value.

Before joining Careys two years ago, she worked at Sir Robert McAlpine for 12 years rising to the role of director for Safety, Sustainability, Health, Environment and Quality.

Louisa Finlay, managing director of Clients and Markets at Kier Construction, said: Sustainably delivering infrastructure which is vital to the UK is at the heart of our purpose. We are committed to supporting the transformation of this industry, through net zero carbon solutions and leaving lasting legacies

Read more

Competition concerns about rail signalling takeover

The Competition and Markets Authority said it was concerned that the deal will reduce much-needed additional competition for rail signalling supply just as major contracts are coming up for tender.

On HS2, the firms make up two of the four shortlisted bidders for the £540m job to design and buildsignalling systems that will control trains travelling at speeds of up to 360km/h and up to 25 years of technical support.

It added that the loss of competition across both mainline and urban signalling markets could increase costs for Network Rail and TfL and have an adverse knock-on effect on taxpayers and passengers.

Colin Raftery, Senior Mergers Director at the CMA, said: “Network Rail currently spends close to £1bn annually on mainline rail signalling – and this is expected to increase in future, as equipment needs to be replaced and the UK transitions to digital signalling.

“The cost of signalling, and

Read more

Andy Milner to return as chief executive of Amey




The transfer of ownership from Spanish owner Ferrovial is expected to conclude in the coming weeks when Milner will take up the reins again.

Prior to his appointment, Milner has been working with Buckthorn and OEP in support of our acquisition of Amey.

The deal is worth £400m for the Amey infrastructure services and consulting business, which employs 11,000 people and has a turnover of £1.4bn.

Milner stepped down from his earlier chief executive role at the end of 2019, after four years as CEO and more than a decade with the business.

At the time he was thanked by Ferrovial chief López Soria for his commitment to Amey and Ferrovial, navigating the business through ‘some very challenging years’.

 






Aaron Morby

Read more

Construction buyers fear for year ahead

The latest bellwether S&PGlobal/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index shows expectations for business activity growth during the year ahead dropped to the lowest level since May 2020.

That previous low was back in the days of the start of the pandemic and those times aside the degree of positive sentiment was the joint-weakest since December 2008.

The activity Index recorded 50.4 in November down from 53.2 in October but still above the crucial 50 no-change threshold.

Commercial work was the only sector to record a rise as house building stalled and civil engineering drooped.

Tim Moore, Economics Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, which compiles the survey said: “Stalling house building activity contributed to the weakest UK construction sector performance for three months in November.

“Survey respondents noted that new residential building projects had been curtailed in response to rising interest rates, cancelled sales and worries about the economic

Read more

350-homes approved around iconic London Tube station

The 348 new homes project is being developed by Transport for London’s commercial arm along with housing association A2Dominion are developing the near 350-homes project around the Picadilly Line tube station.

The homes, delivered across four buildings, will be a mixture of one, two and three and four-bedroom properties, providing options for all types of households.

They will be a mixture of shared ownership, which offers an affordable route into homeownership, and London Affordable Rent, the level of which is set by the Mayor of London and is substantially below open market rents, helping to provide low-cost rented homes to support low-income households.

Hounslow Development 1002 CGI FINAL

Plans also involve a new public square, improved pedestrian routes

There will also be 950 sqm of retail space, which will help support the wider local economy.

Steven Waite, Director of Technical and Commercial at A2Dominion said: “Our relationship with Transport for London is bringing a fresh

Read more

Investment giant buys Bristol M&E contractor




RDCP Infrastructure is a part of investment firm RDCP Group which controls £370m of assets in the UK.

RDCP Infrastructure is the group’s construction arm employing 260 full-time staff offering “fully integrated delivery of complex construction projects featuring engineering solutions across key building and infrastructure sectors.”

The ACES deal sees RDCP take a 90% stake in the £15m turnover business which is a leading South-West mechanical and engineering firm that has been trading for over 30 years.

ACES Managing Director Stephen Sage will continue in his role following the acquisition and work closely with the RDCP Infrastructure team to grow the business further.

Sameer Rizvi, Founder & CEO of RDCP Group explained: “The acquisition of ACES brings a high quality, growth-focused construction business to RDCP Infrastructure.

“It is a well-established and highly respected business with a strong management team. Their impressive client list includes high profile

Read more

Belfast firm signs the biggest work deal yet under Project Gigabit




Fibrus has just started to connect tens of thousands of people living and working in rural Cumbria to lightning-fast broadband under a deal worth more than £108m.

Around 60,000 premises in the county will be connected to the fastest broadband on the market.

Dominic Kearns, CEO of Fibrus, said: “We are committed to supporting local communities, ensuring any work undertaken in our name supports apprenticeships and allows more people to reap the benefits of full-fibre. ”

The firm has committed to creating at least 90 apprenticeships following the government investment.

These will cover a range of roles, from underground and overhead cabling to surveying, and Fibrus has also committed to establish an apprentice training academy at Newton Rigg near Penrith.

Areas in Cumbria to benefit

Locations set to benefit from the new super-fast broadband include:

  • Beckermet
  • Bootle
  • Borrowdale
  • Broughton-in-Furness
  • Buttermere
  • Coniston
  • Gilsland
  • Grasmere
  • Hawkshead

 


Read more

Kier leads switch to hybrid battery generators

The decision to switch follows a  trial of 10 battery storage units on the contractor’s sites.

Kier has established a monthly saving per unit of seven tonnes of carbon, an overall reduction in generator run time of 59%, and a cost saving of over £2,000, after BSU hire costs are accounted for.

Hirer Sunbelt Rentals will supply the battery storage units to Kier sites.

Generators and BSU work in tandem as the main source of electricity to site operations.  When the battery is running low, the generator automatically starts and recharges it, turning off once fully charged.

This means generators can be downsized, leading to significant fuel savings, reducing both costs and carbon.

Chris Lilley, Kier Group health, safety, wellbeing and sustainability director, said: “This is a positive step forward for us to achieve the commitments laid out in our Building for a Sustainable World framework.

“It will help us

Read more

Demolition worker crushed by excavator

Ace Demolition Services Ltd had been contracted by Southend Borough Council to demolish Futures Community College, in Southchurch Boulevard, Southend-on-Sea.

Shannon Brasier, who was 20 years old at the time, was working with a colleague to load a fuel hose into the rear compartment of a 21-tonne excavator, when the excavator moved round and crushed her between the excavator and a mobile fuel tank.

Brasier, from Dagenham, suffered life-changing injuries, including to her neck, skull and face, which she was fortunate to survive.

An HSE investigation found that Ace Demolition Services Ltd failed to implement suitable controls to segregate pedestrians and construction plant, allowed two pairs of keys to be used during the refuelling process and allowed operatives to act as signallers/banksman for the excavator without having received adequate training.

A director, John Gilligan, was responsible for supervising the refuelling and drove the excavator before the refuelling was complete.

The

Read more

Electrical contractors still confident despite staff shortages

The latest Building Engineering Business Survey, backed by trade bodies ECA, BESA, SELECT and SNIPEF, revealed that 75% of firms expect to perform better in Q4 2022 than the same period last year.

Almost four out of five businesses saw their turnover stay the same or increase between April and September this year, and most seem to expect the trend to continue in the short term.

But just over half listed staff shortages as their number one or number two worry for their business while 52% highlighted shortages in electrical skills as a particular concern.

Closely following was overriding concerns about price inflation of materials as there continues to be a global shortage of semi-conductors.

ECA Director of Legal and Business Rob Driscoll said: “Today’s engineering services landscape is more complex than ever. The major increase in energy prices has significantly increased demand for certain services, but residual concerns remain

Read more