News

Mace posts record £2.3bn revenue

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Mace has posted record turnover and profit figures in its latest annual accounts, including its highest construction revenue for five years. Turnover rose by 25 per cent in the 2023 calendar year to reach £2.36bn while pre-tax profit soared by 69 per cent to £61.7m. The profit figure was restated…

Steel specialist reports small profit drop amid market contraction

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Steel specialist J&D Pierce has reported a small drop in profit following tough market conditions. The Ayrshire-based specialist, which delivered structural steelwork for Liverpool Football Club’s £80m Anfield Road stand revamp (pictured) last year, tabled a pre-tax profit of £13.3m in the year to 31 December 2023, in comparison to…

New version of Common Assessment Standard released by Build UK

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Industry body Build UK has released an updated version of the Common Assessment Standard (CAS), including new questions on firms’ building-safety capabilities. The CAS is an industry-agreed set of questions and corresponding assessment standards that can pre-qualify construction suppliers for projects. The updated version (V4) contains a new Building Safety…

Henry Boot nabs GMI boss as new MD

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Henry Boot Construction has appointed the current chief executive of GMI Construction as its new managing director. Lee Powell, who has  spent more than three years as GMI’s boss, will join Henry Boot in January 2025. He will replace Tony Shaw, who is set to leave at the end of…

‘Contractor disputes’ fuel £121m cost hike for transport schemes

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A regional authority is considering delaying some of its transport projects after contractor issues contributed to a £121m rise across its £1bn programme. In a report to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) board, director of delivery Jo Shore wrote that costs on its five-year transport programme had spiralled due…

Kier scoops £47m London college revamp

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Kier has been picked to redevelop a college campus in London. The contractor will demolish the current Greenwich campus belonging to London South East Colleges (LSEC) and develop a new 5,654 square metre site in its place. The £47m project will include classrooms, wellbeing spaces, a student welfare area and…

Blenheim House applies for administration 

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Blenheim House Construction has applied to enter administration after 28 years of trading.  The Surrey-headquartered contractor turned over £86.6m and employed an average of 84 staff in the year to 30 April 2023. It specialises in refurbishment but has also built new housing, education and leisure facilities, and office buildings. …

‘Market rallying’ government set to drive construction growth

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The “seismic” outcome of the general election is expected to boost key parts of the construction industry. In particular, strong improvements should come in the private housing, retail and office refurbishment sectors, according to Glenigan’s construction industry forecast for 2024-26. Although the data specialist warned of “near-term challenges”, including slow…

Skanska scoops £105m office development

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Skanska has secured the contract to replace a nine-storey office block overlooking London’s River Thames, involving the reconstruction of the retained century-old facade. The Swedish contractor will design and build the 12,100 square metre flexible workspace for Baola Properties at 7 Millbank (pictured). The facade, which was built in 1913…

HS2: costs rise on phase one works

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Costs have risen on the main civils works of HS2 in the south of England. Skanska revealed in a stock market statement on Friday that it is set to receive an extra £50m for its role on the southern section of the megaproject after agreeing changes to its scope of…