THE CHANCELLOR Jeremy Hunt delivered his spring budget today targeting 0.8% growth of the economy this year. Taxes The Chancellor said that the economy is “turning a corner” and that inflation is expected to fall to the 2% target in the next quarter. Key measures announced in the Budget include cutting Employee National Insurance tax
FRANCESCA ROBERTS, the longstanding chief executive of CRASH, the construction industry charity, is to retire at the end of May after 16 years in the post. An influential figure in both the charitable sector and the construction industry. Francesca started her career with BBC Television. She then moved into the charitable sector where her passion
BREEDON GROUP plc, UK parent company of Welsh Slate, has announced its full year results were ahead of upgraded expectations for the year ended 31 December 2023. The company achieved a record revenue increase of 7%, although this was offset by 2% volume reduction “reflecting challenging macroeconomic conditions”. Breedon says its record underlying earnings before interest
FEBRUARY data pointed to improved demand conditions across the UK construction sector. Although only marginal, the rate of new business growth was the fastest since May 2023. A turnaround in construction order books contributed to a near-stabilisation of overall output levels in the latest survey period. Business optimism improved for the third time in the
BUILDERS’ merchants’ value sales in Q4 2023 were -5.7% down compared to Q4 2022, with volume sales falling -12.0% and prices rising +7.1%. With one more trading day in Q4 2023, the latest Builders’ Merchant Building Index (BMBI) report shows like-for-like sales (which take the number of trading days into account) -7.3% down. Year-on-year, half
Women in Construction – Ruth Devine shares her inspiration, motivation and aspirations for the industry. WOMEN IN Construction Week is an opportunity to highlight and celebrate the achievements of women within our industry. They now make up 15.8% of our construction workforce, a higher proportion than at any time since official records began. Ruth Devine
VISITORS to the Ravago Building Solutions UK stand at Futurebuild 2024 discovered that Europe’s largest manufacturer of XPS insulation was claiming that people are the secret to its success. Alongside information about the company’s range of high-performance insulation, including the next-generation Ravatherm XPS X ULTRA 300 SL product line of inverted roof insulation, there were
THE CONSTRUCTION industry has stepped up its efforts to combat work-related stress and promote good mental health by joining the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Working Minds campaign. Six new organisations in the construction industry have joined the campaign to help reach trades and offer free support, including the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC)
ROOFING and building manufacturer Wienerberger has completed the acquisition of French-headquartered Terreal, specialist in roofing repair and renovation products. As part of the largest acquisition in the company’s history, Wienerberger will take over Terreal’s businesses in France, Italy, Spain and the USA, as well as Creaton in Germany. The company says it expects the acquisition
SAINT-GOBAIN, parent company of British Gypsum, Weber, Isover, Glassolutions, Saint-Gobain PAM, and Ecophon in the UK, has reported a record operating margin of 11.0% across all regions. EBITDA came in at €7,001 million, close to the company’s all-time high of 2022, in a context of sales worth £47,944 million, which is fall of -6.4% on the
