Contractors Focus
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Features‘You’re operating in the grey space, making decisions with a lot of unknowns’: Katy Dowding on two years at the top of Skanska UK
The firm’s president and CEO took the helm at a turbulent time for the country and for contractors. She tells Chloe McCulloch about her leadership style, her rejigged executive team and how industry and government can deliver more with less if they work together.
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FeaturesIs a Swiss lift shaft-building robot the future of construction?
In central London, a robot called Emma is being used to make the gruelling job of building lift shafts faster, safer and more precise. Tom Lowe visits the site of Skanska’s 105 Victoria Street to see if the device is all it’s cracked up to be
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Features‘We tried and we tried and we very nearly got there’: Osborne’s finance chief on the company’s collapse – and lessons the industry can learn
A year ago, the contractor went into administration after nearly 60 years in business. Pete Duff tells Dave Rogers what happened and what needs to change
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FeaturesManchester United wants to build a new stadium. Who would want to do the job?
In these risk-free times, does a £2bn stadium and the glare of the media and ‘one billion fans’ really appeal to contractors? Dave Rogers reports
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FeaturesSurprise and relief: why the Lendlease sale to private equity is seen as a vote of confidence in UK contractors
Uncertainty about historic firm’s future is finally at an end – and the news has been welcomed by clients and rivals alike, writes Dave Rogers
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FeaturesTop 150 Contractors & Housebuilders 2024: Improving prospects or more of the same? Contractors keep eyes peeled for signs of optimism
Contractors hope to see more work get off the ground, but familiar problems provide a nervous backdrop
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FeaturesDownfall of ISG: how and why it collapsed
Report by administrator EY says firm was set to post after tax losses of £133m while would-be buyer eventually offered £1 for business
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FeaturesBest foot forward: the former Army brigadier plotting Sir Robert McAlpine’s return to defence work
Mike Hickson spent 30 years in the military. He hopes his experience will help the contractor get a bridgehead in the sector, he tells Dave Rogers
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Features‘This industry is absolutely fine…’ Andrew Davies on the naysayers, rescuing Kier and what the firm plans to do next
The contractor’s chief executive goes in to bat for construction. It’s a good time to be in the business, he tells Dave RogersÂ
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Features‘It was always the plan ...’ Keltbray’s Brendan Kerr on selling infrastructure and what he’s going to do next
The specialist contractor’s owner talks to Dave Rogers about going back to building, succession planning and why he never intends to quit
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Features‘It’s madness what the industry goes to work for’… Sisk’s Paul Brown on margins, making the right decisions and working on Man City’s stadium
‘The last two or three years in the UK have been the toughest I’ve experienced,’ the Irish contractor’s Liverpool-born chief executive tells Dave Rogers
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Features‘The contracting model needs to change’ – Permasteelisa’s boss on why the industry can’t go on like this
Liam Cummins joined the cladding specialist in 2023 after years working for main contractors. He talks to Dave Rogers about unsustainable margins, working for some formidable CEOs and why London is still the place to do business
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FeaturesKey takeaways from the ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ the Future Conference and Housing Today Live
Church House in Westminster yesterday played host to two back-to-back conferences on construction and housing attended by hundreds of professionals from the built environment. Here is a round-up of the key talking points from the event, run by ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ and Housing Today.
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Features‘Bid for everything, always haggle’: The life and times of John F Hunt’s John Hall
The founder of the specialist contractor turned 75 over the summer. He tells Dave Rogers about nearly going under, having the gift of the gab and why he did well out of the Cardiff Millennium Stadium
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Features‘I’m at a loss about what to make of it all’ – Will Lendlease disappear from UK construction, and what would that say about the state of the sector?
A sale has to happen quickly or staff will leave and jobs will disappear, say rivals. Dave Rogers looks at the implications of the decision to sell up – or shut down
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Features‘On some levels, it’s a straightforward industry but it has significant challenges’ – Wates’ new(ish) CEO on what he’s learnt so far
Wates boss Eoghan O’Lionaird has been in post for just over a year. He tells Dave Rogers about the challenges facing the industry, its razor thin margins, his belief in purpose over profit – and why he gave up golf
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FeaturesPre-election briefing: What can we expect for investment in the NHS estate?
The first of Boris Johnson’s promised 40 hospitals will open this month. But huge delays to the £22bn programme mean that, months before an election, procurement for most of the work hasn’t even begun and there is no certainty that Labour will push ahead. Joey Gardiner asks what it all ...
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Features‘Perfect, see you Monday’ … McLaren’s Paul Heather on tier ones and being headhunted on holiday
From a teenager wondering what a QS does to running a £1bn business, the firm’s construction boss talks to Dave Rogers about industry ups and downs – and being offered a job by Kevin Taylor
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Features‘They needed this’ – McAlpine’s new boss wins plaudits as industry prepares for firm to reset
Neil Martin is expected to ring the changes and take the blue-blooded contractor back to centre-stage. Dave Rogers reports
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Features‘He liked a whisky and a cigar late at night, chewing the cud’… The life and times of Sir Martin Laing
The death of the businessman just after Christmas recalls a bygone age in contracting