This Week's News

Construction Sector Set to Grow 10% in Two Years

The Construction Products Association’s Summer Forecasts, released yesterday(Monday), highlight that the construction industry will grow about 10.0% and contribute nearly £11 billion to the UK economy over the next two years alone. Key highlights include:

• Construction output will grow 4.7% in 2014 and 4.8% in 2015;

• Total construction output will rise 22.2% over the next five years;

• Private housing starts are expected to grow 18.0% in 2014 and 10.0% in 2015;

• Commercial offices output to grow 10.0% in 2014 and 8.0% in 2015;

Dr Noble Francis, Economics Director of the Association, commented: “The forecasts reflect the increasing strength of the sector, though risks remain. We anticipate the recovery will continue through the forecast horizon in 2018 and broaden both across sectors and regions. Overall levels of activity will likely match their 2007 peak in 2017.

Read the Rest Here...

Housing construction in overdrive

Commenting on the Markit/CIPS UK Construction PMI figures, released yesterday(Monday) which report the sharpest rise in housing construction since November 2003, KPMG’s UK Head of Infrastructure, Building and Construction, Richard Threlfall said:
 
“Today’s figures show that construction market activity is going up a gear, with residential activity in overdrive. The increase in housing construction is an interesting case study in the delayed response of the market to Government initiatives, with activity picking up just at the point that Government has started taking steps to cool the market ignited via Help to Buy.

Read the Rest Here...

UK house building grows at fastest rate since 2003

British house-building accelerated last month at the fastest rate since November 2003, leading to a record pace of job creation and a shortage of supplies, a survey showed on Monday.

The monthly Markit/CIPS purchasing managers' index (PMI) for the wider construction sector, which also includes commercial building and civil engineering, fell to 62.4 in July from 62.6 in June - just above the Reuters poll forecast of 62.0.
Readings above 50 denote expansion.

House-building was the strongest performing category in the PMI as construction activity grew for the 15th successive month, with hiring accelerating at the fastest rate since at least April 1997 when the survey began.


Read the Rest Here...

GGF Disappointed with Green Deal Fund Closure

The GGF was disappointed to hear this week, that newly appointed Energy Minister Amber Rudd has been forced to shut down the Green Deal money back scheme The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) “with immediate effect” after it was overwhelmed by a last-minute “dash for cash”.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) have blamed a sudden surge in applications for clearing out £70 million of ring-fenced budget in just two days, the entire £120m budget was intended to last 12 months.

In a statement, DECC confirmed that the allocated budget has now been reached and “all applications received prior to the fund closing that satisfy the terms and conditions and meet the eligibility criteria will be honoured at the original rates”.

The GDHIF was set up to boost the Green Deal scheme as a replacement to the Green Deal Cashback scheme which had failed to boost the original Green Deal scheme. The difference with the GDHIF was that it was available through Green Deal Installers as well as Green Deal Providers. Under the GDHIF, the homeowner/consumer only has to have two measures installed to get the cash, provided they go through the Green Deal process - they don’t necessarily have to take out a Green Deal Plan.

The GDHIF was intended to boost the uptake of the Green Deal scheme and subsequently help households in England and Wales improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

Read the Rest Here...

Emplas launches Challenger installer network

Emplas has issued a challenge to installer networks with the launch of its new Installer Partnership, designed to support growth across its customer base through lead generation and unparalleled support.

Developed by Emplas to redraw and redefine expectations of the support offered by systems companies and fabricators to retailers, the scheme offers qualifying installers access to new levels of support – at no additional cost.

Drawing on its understanding of the retail sector through its own (and Northamptonshire-only) retail business T&K which claimed the G12-Awards Installer of the Year title, this includes dedicated lead generation and sales support.

The Emplas Installer Partnership also offers retailers exclusive sales areas, marketing support including a free website, search engine optimisation and copywriting, plus dedicated marketing collateral including their own-branded protective tape retail brochures and point of sale material.

Read the Rest Here...

Director slams GDHIF decision

The director of online lead generation and installer support company Leads2trade has hit out, following a decision by government to pull the brakes on a popular scheme.
Government ministers decided recently to curtail a cashback scheme offering £7,600 to people to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) was intended to give a boost to the government’s flagship energy efficiency programme.

But the scheme proved too popular and an announcement by government that it would cut the maximum pay-out sparked a mad rush of applications; and the final £70m of the allocated £120m was snapped up in a matter of days.

The decision has caused anger in the heating and plumbing sector and across the construction industry.

Leads2trade has many members in the sector and has become a go to resource for installers looking for business. Its Director Andy Royle comments: “we operate in the heating, fenestration and renewable sector and have hundreds of members, many of which are livid at the way this has been handled. After the debacle that happened regarding the FIT rate we expected future energy schemes to be handled better. It appears we are back to a boom and bust way of operating.

Read the Rest Here...

Distinction Doors appoints CEO

Distinction Doors has just announced that it has appointed Andrew Fowlds as its Chief Executive Officer. Speaking of the appointment, Drew Wright, Distinction’s founder said, “I am delighted to welcome Andrew to Distinction Doors. He brings with him a wealth of experience that will be invaluable.”

Andrew will be joining Distinction Doors from the Li & Fung Group, the world’s largest sourcing company. He spent 11 years at the company and during his time there led three different companies within the Group to a position of significant growth. A Chartered Director and MBA graduate, Andrew has also spent 15 years working in China and four years managing a company in Germany and he brings with him considerable logistics and distribution experience.

Read the Rest Here...

Further investment at Crystal Direct

Crystal Direct has invested in new staff, machinery and delivery vehicles to meet demand for growing sales.

The trade fabricator has seen a surge in interest from fabricators who have decided to stop fabricating and concentrate on selling and installing. To make sure Crystal maintains high levels of quality and short lead times, the company has invested in new machinery to increase output and productivity. Crystal has also expanded its fleet of delivery vehicles and recruited new full-time factory operators, sales and admin staff.

Read the Rest Here...

Industry Survey Highlights Aesthetics GAP

A new survey conducted by hinge manufacturer, SFS intec, has revealed that the industry is not meeting the required demand for aesthetic solutions.

 The new Pivotal Points report examines the perceptions of installers, fabricators and specifiers to determine the drivers behind specification decisions. Focusing on the affects of aesthetics in this first report of the series, results showed that 90% of specifiers do not find it easy to source manufacturers that put enough focus on aesthetics within their portfolios.
 
Read the Rest Here...

SGG Launches Energy Efficient Glass

After leading the market with the UK’s first temperable low-E glass to achieve a U-value of 1.0 W/m2K, Saint-Gobain Glass has re-launched its Planitherm One and Planitherm One II as a single-stock product known as Planitherm One T. Boasting an excellent optimum centre-pane U-value in a double-glazed unit of just 1.0W/m2K, going as low as 0.5 W/m2K for triple-glazed units, the coating offers an optimised balance of very high thermal performance and solar gain.

Read the Rest Here...

Plastic is fantastic for local MP’s tour

Kent-based Veka Recycling hosted a visit from Gareth Johnson MP who praised the PVC recycler’s progress in expanding its services and products, while providing growing employment opportunities for local people.

He toured the Swanscombe processing site, which has grown from employing 10 to 40 people since it was established seven years ago.

Impressed with Veka Recycling’s commitment to its sector and local area, Gareth, the Conservative MP for Dartford commented: “We can be proud in Dartford that we have companies like Veka Recycling leading the way with these techniques.

Read the Rest Here...