Supply Chain

The government has seen off a bid to give statutory status to a proposed new unit to oversee and take action against public bodies that fail to pay contractors on time. In a 2020 procurement green paper, the government proposed establishing a unit “to oversee public procurement with powers to…

The publication of the government’s infrastructure pipeline has been set back by months due to political turmoil in the wake of September’s ill-fated mini-budget. The latest national infrastructure and construction pipeline was scheduled for release in November, detailing the projects up for grabs across the sector over the next decade.…

The government has confirmed funding of £679m towards the building of Sizewell C, giving the Suffolk nuclear project the official go-ahead. Business and energy secretary Grant Shapps (pictured second from right) signed a deal today that seals the government’s stake as a 50 per cent shareholder alongside EDF, which recently…

The procurement process for £3.44bn worth of work towards the decommissioning of the former nuclear plant at Sellafield has been delayed, as it awaits Treasury approval. Meanwhile, inflationary pressures have pushed up the cost of work on the framework for the West Cumbria site from £3bn to £3.44bn. In April…

Rolls-Royce has told MPs that the supply chain is eager for the government to signal its further commitment to the building of small modular reactors (SMRs). SMRs, which are small-scale nuclear power plants, can be largely built offsite in factories. This saves on time, cost and carbon emissions, compared with…

Brick manufacturer Michelmersh has bought FabSpeed, a specialist in prefabricated building products, for an initial £6.25m. The acquisition is designed to strengthen the company’s position in the product market for offsite and modern methods of construction. FabSpeed operates from two facilities in West Yorkshire and one in Oxfordshire, supplying prefabricated…

TClarke has told investors that it expects to hit its revenue target for next year despite income for 2022 being lower than anticipated. In a trading update and outlook for the financial year, the mechanical and electrical specialist said that £40m of the £450m in revenue it had planned to…

UK and European timber suppliers' decision to cut production in light of softening demand could lead to shortages, a trade body has warned. Although there is currently a “plentiful supply of timber” in the UK, contractors could be hit by a lack of material if demand was to suddenly return,…

The University of Cambridge is seeking suppliers for an £80m construction and construction-management framework. The Construction Professional Services Framework UCAM 22-040 will run for four years initially and could stretch to a further two years, covering works in the city. The framework is divided into six lots, based on the…

Campaigners have won a fight to ensure the proper provision of sanitary towel and tampon disposal facilities on construction sites. New guidance, Construction – Welfare Standards, published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) this week, is aimed at clarifying the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, which set out the…