DEMC (Dorset Engineering and Manufacturing Cluster)’s Post

The @Australian Constructors Association has published a thought-provoking paper (linked below) as a conversation starter for their upcoming high-powered Forum, FF24. The conference aims to address the challenges facing the construction industry and find solutions to improve collaboration and performance. One of the key questions posed in the paper is "Defining good... and how to achieve it." As someone passionate about the construction industry, I have joined my voice in answering these questions in weekly nuggets. You can find previous comments here: Primarily, for delineation, I believe defining good will also include the need to train on subconscious biases which are prevalent in the industry, i.e. gender, race etc which starts from the recruitment phase through to employment. To truly achieve "good" in the industry, we must also address the subconscious biases that perpetuate negative perceptions and hinder progress. To combat these biases, we must actively promote the positive aspects of the construction industry, such as: 🌟 Showcasing the diverse career options and the opportunity to work on iconic projects around the world 🤝 Highlighting the chance to meet and collaborate with a wide range of people from various backgrounds 🌇 Emphasizing the satisfaction of seeing tangible results and contributing to the built environment 📈 Promoting the potential for personal and professional growth within a dynamic and evolving industry I believe this is one of the indicators of what good could mean for Construction. What does good mean to you in construction? I invite you to join the conversation and share your thoughts on how we can redefine "good" in the construction industry and work together to achieve it. #ConstructionIndustry #FF24 #RedefiningGood #CollaborationIsKey #PositiveChange #EPIC

Yesterday I attended the Housing Ombudsman online roundtable event with Martyn Gorton MRICS hosted by EN:Procure and Emma Mottram. The roundtable focused on the challenge for landlords & contractors and some of the difficulties faced by residents. Lots of discussion about Awaab's Law and how as contractors we can help landlords prepare and meet the enforced timelines for repair and increased record keeping requirements. Other areas of discussion included: - Rising disrepair claims and managing complaints - Shortage of skilled workers - The rising costs of materials and service delivery It was a really open and informative chat between all the contractors involved and it was useful to hear the challenges other businesses come across in this sector and how they are resolving these issues for their clients. Updates on the upcoming ombudsman report titled 'Repairing Trust' can be found here : https://lnkd.in/eSWHp3Zj Certus Construction Services Efficiency North

"This report fails to address the issues it raises regarding misuse of right of entry and powers to disrupt created by existing work health and safety mechanisms. Workplace Health and Safety is an area that is often weaponised by the CFMEU and to some part, this is accepted in the report. However, no tangible recommendations are made to create the environment where health and safety issues are not misused." Well done to the Australian Industry Group's National CEO, Innes Willox, to call the review into the CFMEU out for what it is, a total whitewash. But why is it being left to AI Group? Why is the peak industry body that is supposed to represent the commercial sector of the construction industry not doing the same? Master Builders Victoria has failed its members so appallingly over the last five years. It has been a passenger as its members have been smashed by the CFMEU, with safety used as the weapon. Too close to Labor and too close to the CFMEU. https://lnkd.in/gaRiMwR2

The latest ONS figures on our UK #construction workforce are stark. 300,000 workers lost in five years. This present a serious risk to delivery on housing and decarbonisation priorities. At SCAPE we talk more about the actions we must take as a sector, in partnership between government and industry in our #charterforchange #jobs #skills #investment #wealthbuilding #socialvalue #decarbonisation

Many of you will remember Carrillion, a multi national construction and facilities management company. Following concerns about debt it was placed into administration with liabilities in the region of £7 Billion. That was in 2018 and surely we learned valuable lessons during and after liquidation. Perhaps not, as we learn of another construction company, ISG, well, reduced to rubble, as the Sunday Times so eloquently put it. It is too early to understand exactly what went wrong, but what we know is that they diversified from their expertise in interiors branching out into wider construction jobs. It won many contracts growing the company whilst operating on smaller margins. Annually revenues reached beyond £2 billion. And the directors salaries rose dramatically. Then the pandemic hot followed by inflation. Payments to subcontractors were delayed, tight profit margins were squeezed further and the inevitable happened. As with Carillion the fall out will be expensive for many, including the government and small businesses and many people who will lose their jobs. Yet perhaps it is unfair to compare to Carillion when such corporate failing are all too prevalent. Many of us will remember the excesses of Enron and Arthur Anderson and many more besides. One aspect of the collapse worth noting is the competitive nature of the industry and prevalence of fixed contracts. We see a heavy reliance of fixed contracts from the IOM Government, at times without providing sufficient detail to enable an accurate quote. There is also a temptation to think of larger businesses as more stable, thus awarding tenders to them at the expense of smaller organisations. The UK Government alone are left with over £1 billion in contracts. Whilst we as an Island are too small to see such a major failing, lots of businesses can be at risk through over reliance on fixed contracts with small margins, we can certainly be caught in fall out from such corporate failures in the UK. #governance #compliance https://lnkd.in/ewsy8UAP

🏥 Are you a healthcare construction professional in the UK interested in the latest government strategies? Join my network for insights into how current UK Labour government strategies are impacting healthcare construction projects. Stay informed and stay ahead of the market trends! #HealthcareConstruction #UKLabourGovernment #NetworkingOpportunities

How often do we see this type of headline in construction publications, in this case 'Building' by James Fiske, nothing wrong with it, it's completely true but as anyone in the industry can tell you the 'skills drain' has been a major concern for years! So what has been done to solve the conundrum? Arguably a lot, millions (£££) has been spent by central government & private sector partners to develop MMC platforms (#Seismic) that de-skill fabrication allowing semi-skilled workers to 'build' in factories. It doesn't solve the immediate skills shortage but does provide a workaround in both the short & long term & will delivery on the governments targets for social housing, see (https://lnkd.in/eW-QHJgH). #seismicgroup; #MMC; #SocialHousingPlaybook

Sad news in the construction world as ISG filled for administration 🚧 The last 18 months has been turbulent in the Property and Construction space. Unfortunately Blenheim House Construction, Hollins Homes, Osborne Construction and Rye Demolition also fell under financial pressure and filled for administration this year.   However, from speaking with my senior network the market is rebuilding (excuse the pun) and there are some noticeable mentions:   ❌ Government Infrastructure Boost: Significant government funding for large infrastructure projects, such as transport upgrades and urban regeneration schemes, is creating new opportunities for construction firms. Projects like the HS2 rail and major housing initiatives are providing long-term stability and growth in the sector.   ❌ Sustainability and Green Building Growth: There is rising demand for sustainable construction practices, with a focus on achieving net-zero carbon emissions. This has spurred the adoption of green technologies and eco-friendly materials, opening up new markets and business models for construction companies. ❌ Technological Advancements: Digital tools, such as AI, BIM, and robotics are driving innovation, efficiency, and cost savings. These technologies are improving project delivery times, reducing waste, and enhancing safety on job sites, creating a more resilient and future-proof industry. The market is turning, showing resilience and optimism with organisations starting to drive transformation projects focusing on sustainability, technology, and infrastructure. ⚡ If you or someone you know has been affected and would like some support around market insight, CV review or general support please feel to reach out on sinead@deltragroup.com or drop me a DM 📩

Once again changes are made to legislation without the required resource to avoid impact to the UK economy. The bottle neck in the approval process needs addressing as a matter of urgency! Why is the UK suffering from this procrastination. There seems to be lack of understanding, knowledge and action. The legislation is vitally important, but understanding the bigger picture and ensuring that the infrastructure was in place so as not to impede progress is sadly lacking.

"In terms of effect, a significant, unjustified non-payment can be devastating for a small business. If it arises deliberately and unlawfully it is attempting to steal work and materials, given in expectation of payment, in a crueller way than say, a thief stealing tools or equipment." Interesting and important distinction between the economic efficiency model (e.g. the UK Construction Act) and the "protect the subbies" model. Yosof Ewing