Neil Gerrard

The UK's Labour government, which came to power earlier this summer, has announced that it shelving plans to remove European CE marking from construction products. Sponsored Content World of Concrete, serving the thriving construction and masonry construction industries, returns for its 51st edition at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Jan 21-23, 2025; Education 20-23 A new range of excavators from Volvo CE show they have the edge with a modern makeover that takes customers into the future – while pushing the boundaries of productivity, fuel efficiency and total cost of ownership. A large-scale site striving for maximum productivity See more, know more, do more with VisionLink® Productivity At 128 hectares, Groupe Pigeon's Les Vallons Quarry is the largest quarry in Brittany, France. Every year it produces 1.8 million tonnes of construction material for both public and industrial applications such as concrete plants, asphalt and precast plants. It also helps to recycle and process waste, concrete and asphalt residues.

Are you sure you want to deny cookies? By accepting cookies you will be helping us to continue to provide you with the best possible service. 04 September 2024 2 min read Image: Eduardo Barraza via AdobeStock - stock.adobe.com US contractors are “eagerly awaiting” lower interest rates, as national non-residential spending dipped in July. Sponsored Content World of Concrete, serving the thriving construction and masonry construction industries, returns for its 51st edition at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Jan 21-23, 2025; Education 20-23 A new range of excavators from Volvo CE show they have the edge with a modern makeover that takes customers into the future – while pushing the boundaries of productivity, fuel efficiency and total cost of ownership. A large-scale site striving for maximum productivity See more, know more, do more with VisionLink® Productivity At 128 hectares, Groupe Pigeon's Les Vallons Quarry is the largest quarry in Brittany, France. Every year it produces 1.8 million tonnes of construction material for both public and industrial applications such as concrete plants, asphalt and precast plants. It also helps to recycle and process waste, concrete and asphalt residues. Popular Reads Four new skid steer loaders and four compact track loaders unveiled UK-based construction company Mace has won the role of delivery partner for Saudi Arabia's King Salman International Airport A Trump project was moved forward by Florida, US, officials this week India's biggest construction company has won a major contract to build new infrastructure around Navi Mumbai Airport in the state of Maharashtra. The 1.3-mile rail extension is expected to be constructed mainly below ground using cut-and-cover and mined tunnelling methods Still the second-most-used substance behind water, global concrete consumption is showing no signs of falling Case Construction Equipment released what it said was the first electric backhoe loader Andy Brown Editor, Editorial, UK - Wadhurst Tel: +44 (0) 1892 786224 E-mail: [email protected] Neil Gerrard Senior Editor, Editorial, UK - Wadhurst Tel: +44 (0) 7355 092 771 E-mail: [email protected] Catrin Jones Deputy Editor, Editorial, UK – Wadhurst Tel: +44 (0) 791 2298 133 E-mail: [email protected] Eleanor Shefford Brand Manager Tel: +44 (0) 1892 786 236 E-mail: [email protected]

Are you sure you want to deny cookies? By accepting cookies you will be helping us to continue to provide you with the best possible service. 04 September 2024 5 min read Grenfell Tower in London, UK, after a fire on 14 June 2017 that killed 72 people (Image: Jay via AdobeStock - stock.adobe.com) A single construction regulator should oversee the construction industry in England and Wales. Recommendations The creation of a single construction regulator that should have responsibility for all aspects regulating fire safety in the construction industry. The government would bring together fire safety functions currently exercised by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Home Office, and the Department for Business and Trade under a single secretary of state. A Chief Construction Adviser with a good working knowledge and experience of the construction industry to advise the secretary of state. A review of statutory guidance to building regulations and in particular to Approved Document B, which covers requirements under building regulations related to fire safety. Findings of the report The government missed opportunities to identify the risks posed by the use of combustible cladding panels and insulation, particularly to high-rise buildings between the fire at Knowsley Heights in 1991 and Grenfell in 2017. The work of the Building Research Establishment (BRE), which was regarded as a leader in fire safety, was “marred by unprofessional conduct, inadequate practices, a lack of effective oversight, poor reporting and a lack of scientific rigour” from 1991 onwards. It failed to identify important contributory factors to previous fires at Knowsley Heights in 1991, Garnick Court in 1999 and The Edge in 2005. There was “systematic dishonesty” among companies who made and sold the rainscreen cladding panels and insulation products used on Grenfell Tower during its refurbishment. The report also found that they engaged in “deliberate and sustained” strategies to manipulate testing of their products. In the case of the main insulation used on Grenfell Tower Celotex RS5000, the BRE was “complicit” in the strategy. US-based firm Arconic Architectural Products, which made and sold the Reynobond 55 PE rainscreen cladding panels used on the external wall of Grenfell Tower was aware of serious concern about the safety of aluminium composite (ACM) panels by 2007. It also allowed the continued sale of Reynobond 55 PE in cassette form in the UK (the type used in Grenfell Tower), despite the fact it was aware it performed much worse in a fire than in the alternative riveted form. Insulation company Celotex manufactured RS5000, a combustible polyisocyanurate foam used on the tower. In an attempt to break into a market dominated by rival Kingspan it “embarked on a dishonest scheme to mislead customers and the wider market”. It ensured that a cladding system incorporating RS5000 passed BS 8414 tests “with the complicity of BRE”. Kingspan “knowingly created a false market” for insulation use on buildings over 18m in height by claiming that its K15 insulation, a small amount of which was used on Grenfell Tower, had been part of a system tested under BS8414 and could be used in the external wall of any building over 18m in height, regardless of its design or other components. The companies responsible for the refurbishment of the building, architect Studio E, main contractor Rydon and subcontractor Harley “should have been aware” of the risks of using combustible materials in high-rise buildings. The report stated, “None of those involved in the design of the external wall or the choice of materials acted in accordance with the standards of a reasonably competent person in their position”. The procedures of the British Board of Agrément (BBA), a commercial organisation that certifies the compliance of products with the requirements of legislation, were “neither wholly independent nor rigorous”. The BBA issues certificates of compliance in respect of one of the insulation products used on Grenfell Tower, Kingspan K15, and the Reynobond 55 PE panels used as the rainscreen. Building control organisation Local Authority Building Control (LABC) “must take its share of the blame” for the market accepting Celotex RS5000 and Kingspan K15 for use on buildings over 18m in height. There was a “complete failure” by LABC to take steps to ensure the certificates it issued in respect of the products were technically accurate. The way building safety in England and Wales is managed is “seriously defective”. The Tenant Management Organisation in charge of the building and the local council had a “persistent indifference to fire safety”. Sponsored Content World of Concrete, serving the thriving construction and masonry construction industries, returns for its 51st edition at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Jan 21-23, 2025; Education 20-23 A new range of excavators from Volvo CE show they have the edge with a modern makeover that takes customers into the future – while pushing the boundaries of productivity, fuel efficiency and total cost of ownership. A large-scale site striving for maximum productivity See more, know more, do more with VisionLink® Productivity At 128 hectares, Groupe Pigeon's Les Vallons Quarry is the largest quarry in Brittany, France. Every year it produces 1.8 million tonnes of construction material for both public and industrial applications such as concrete plants, asphalt and precast plants. It also helps to recycle and process waste, concrete and asphalt residues. Popular Reads Four new skid steer loaders and four compact track loaders unveiled UK-based construction company Mace has won the role of delivery partner for Saudi Arabia's King Salman International Airport A Trump project was moved forward by Florida, US, officials this week India's biggest construction company has won a major contract to build new infrastructure around Navi Mumbai Airport in the state of Maharashtra. The 1.3-mile rail extension is expected to be constructed mainly below ground using cut-and-cover and mined tunnelling methods Still the second-most-used substance behind water, global concrete consumption is showing no signs of falling Case Construction Equipment released what it said was the first electric backhoe loader Andy Brown Editor, Editorial, UK - Wadhurst Tel: +44 (0) 1892 786224 E-mail: [email protected] Neil Gerrard Senior Editor, Editorial, UK - Wadhurst Tel: +44 (0) 7355 092 771 E-mail: [email protected] Catrin Jones Deputy Editor, Editorial, UK – Wadhurst Tel: +44 (0) 791 2298 133 E-mail: [email protected] Eleanor Shefford Brand Manager Tel: +44 (0) 1892 786 236 E-mail: [email protected]

Are you sure you want to deny cookies? By accepting cookies you will be helping us to continue to provide you with the best possible service. 05 September 2024 2 min read Twilight of TKO district at Hong Kong (Image: alan via AdobeStock - stock.adobe.com) The deputy general manager of a Hong Kong construction company has been charged with allegedly accepting a HK$2 million (US$260,000) bribe from a subcontractor. Sponsored Content World of Concrete, serving the thriving construction and masonry construction industries, returns for its 51st edition at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Jan 21-23, 2025; Education 20-23 A new range of excavators from Volvo CE show they have the edge with a modern makeover that takes customers into the future – while pushing the boundaries of productivity, fuel efficiency and total cost of ownership. A large-scale site striving for maximum productivity See more, know more, do more with VisionLink® Productivity At 128 hectares, Groupe Pigeon's Les Vallons Quarry is the largest quarry in Brittany, France. Every year it produces 1.8 million tonnes of construction material for both public and industrial applications such as concrete plants, asphalt and precast plants. It also helps to recycle and process waste, concrete and asphalt residues. Popular Reads Four new skid steer loaders and four compact track loaders unveiled UK-based construction company Mace has won the role of delivery partner for Saudi Arabia's King Salman International Airport India's biggest construction company has won a major contract to build new infrastructure around Navi Mumbai Airport in the state of Maharashtra. A Trump project was moved forward by Florida, US, officials this week The 1.3-mile rail extension is expected to be constructed mainly below ground using cut-and-cover and mined tunnelling methods Still the second-most-used substance behind water, global concrete consumption is showing no signs of falling Case Construction Equipment released what it said was the first electric backhoe loader Andy Brown Editor, Editorial, UK - Wadhurst Tel: +44 (0) 1892 786224 E-mail: [email protected] Neil Gerrard Senior Editor, Editorial, UK - Wadhurst Tel: +44 (0) 7355 092 771 E-mail: [email protected] Catrin Jones Deputy Editor, Editorial, UK – Wadhurst Tel: +44 (0) 791 2298 133 E-mail: [email protected] Eleanor Shefford Brand Manager Tel: +44 (0) 1892 786 236 E-mail: [email protected]

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Are you sure you want to deny cookies? By accepting cookies you will be helping us to continue to provide you with the best possible service. 06 September 2024 2 min read Image: ceebeestock via AdobeStock - stock.adobe.com UK construction buyers appear to have indicated that the sector has “turned a corner” after a difficult start to 2024. Sponsored Content World of Concrete, serving the thriving construction and masonry construction industries, returns for its 51st edition at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Jan 21-23, 2025; Education 20-23 A new range of excavators from Volvo CE show they have the edge with a modern makeover that takes customers into the future – while pushing the boundaries of productivity, fuel efficiency and total cost of ownership. A large-scale site striving for maximum productivity See more, know more, do more with VisionLink® Productivity At 128 hectares, Groupe Pigeon's Les Vallons Quarry is the largest quarry in Brittany, France. Every year it produces 1.8 million tonnes of construction material for both public and industrial applications such as concrete plants, asphalt and precast plants. It also helps to recycle and process waste, concrete and asphalt residues. Popular Reads Four new skid steer loaders and four compact track loaders unveiled Phase one contract awarded to construction firm for replacement bridge design and construction UK-based construction company Mace has won the role of delivery partner for Saudi Arabia's King Salman International Airport A Trump project was moved forward by Florida, US, officials this week India's biggest construction company has won a major contract to build new infrastructure around Navi Mumbai Airport in the state of Maharashtra. The 1.3-mile rail extension is expected to be constructed mainly below ground using cut-and-cover and mined tunnelling methods Still the second-most-used substance behind water, global concrete consumption is showing no signs of falling Andy Brown Editor, Editorial, UK - Wadhurst Tel: +44 (0) 1892 786224 E-mail: [email protected] Neil Gerrard Senior Editor, Editorial, UK - Wadhurst Tel: +44 (0) 7355 092 771 E-mail: [email protected] Catrin Jones Deputy Editor, Editorial, UK – Wadhurst Tel: +44 (0) 791 2298 133 E-mail: [email protected] Eleanor Shefford Brand Manager Tel: +44 (0) 1892 786 236 E-mail: [email protected]

The number of US bridges in need of repair or replacement has reached nearly 221,800, according to analysis by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). I-695 over U.S. 40, Md. I-93 over Conley Street, Mass. I-680 over Capitol Avenue, Calif. I-55 over Madison Street, Ill. I-95 over Route 608, Va. I-90 over Canal to Stewart Streets, Ill. Interstate 680 over Monument Boulevard, Calif. I-93 over Mystic Valley Parkway, Mass. I-95 North and Southbound over Thurbers Avenue, R.I. IH-35 over Grand Avenue, Texas Sponsored Content World of Concrete, serving the thriving construction and masonry construction industries, returns for its 51st edition at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Jan 21-23, 2025; Education 20-23 A new range of excavators from Volvo CE show they have the edge with a modern makeover that takes customers into the future – while pushing the boundaries of productivity, fuel efficiency and total cost of ownership. A large-scale site striving for maximum productivity See more, know more, do more with VisionLink® Productivity At 128 hectares, Groupe Pigeon's Les Vallons Quarry is the largest quarry in Brittany, France. Every year it produces 1.8 million tonnes of construction material for both public and industrial applications such as concrete plants, asphalt and precast plants. It also helps to recycle and process waste, concrete and asphalt residues.

Tens of thousands of bridges rated in poor condition but investment sees number drop year on year

Indian conglomerate Larsen & Toubro has created a new business revision for renewable engineering, procurement and construction (EPC). Sponsored Content World of Concrete, serving the thriving construction and masonry construction industries, returns for its 51st edition at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Jan 21-23, 2025; Education 20-23 A new range of excavators from Volvo CE show they have the edge with a modern makeover that takes customers into the future – while pushing the boundaries of productivity, fuel efficiency and total cost of ownership. A large-scale site striving for maximum productivity See more, know more, do more with VisionLink® Productivity At 128 hectares, Groupe Pigeon's Les Vallons Quarry is the largest quarry in Brittany, France. Every year it produces 1.8 million tonnes of construction material for both public and industrial applications such as concrete plants, asphalt and precast plants. It also helps to recycle and process waste, concrete and asphalt residues.

MKAO Rasperia launches legal action against Strabag in Kaliningrad, Russia.