Supply Chain

A planning decision to block HS2 from upgrading a crucial farm lane in Wendover could push up its costs by “tens of millions” of pounds, it has said. The response came as Buckinghamshire Council refused planning permission for an underground chamber and ditch, as part of HS2’s Wendover Green Tunnel…

This story was written with AI assistance from Harmsworth Who is Harmsworth? The North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) has launched early engagement on a planned eight-year framework for construction materials. A preliminary market engagement notice was published on 22 April to inform potential suppliers of NEPO’s intention to procure aggregates,…

This story was written with AI assistance from Harmsworth Who is Harmsworth? The Scottish Government has launched a market engagement exercise ahead of a planned re-letting of its public sector heat decarbonisation framework, with a potential value of £50m. A request for information (RFI) issued on 22 April 2025 invites…

Administrators dealing with the collapse of Dorset contractor Acheson Construction suspended an auction of its plant and machinery after an unnamed creditor “unlawfully took possession” of one of the firm’s seven telehandlers. The £53m-turnover Acheson went under in February, blaming rising costs and a contract dispute for its demise. Administrators…

Rudi Klein is a barrister. He was formerly chief executive of the Specialist Engineering Contractors’ Group I have a question. Has anybody seen a diminution in the demands for retention monies? Feedback I receive from firms is a definite NO! There is a reason for asking. Cast your minds back…

This story was written with AI assistance from Harmsworth Who is Harmsworth? Speedy Hire has said it expects to report full-year results in line with expectations despite a tougher trading environment that has seen it accelerate depot closures. In a trading update for the year to 31 March 2025, the…

Nearly all the listed debtors for one of the UK’s largest roofing contractors have disputed how much they owed the firm, forcing its administration process into a fourth year. Administrators for Avonside Roofing – the £48m-turnover contractor that went under in September 2022 – said they had spent a “significantly…

Structural steel fabricator Billington Holdings has revealed that its pre-tax profit dropped by almost a fifth in 2024 – with an even steeper fall expected this year. The Yorkshire firm cited a "very challenging market" characterised by "reduced demand" and "increasing pricing pressures". Billington saw its pre-tax profit slip from…

This story was written with AI assistance from Harmsworth Who is Harmsworth? The Communities and Housing Investment Consortium (CHIC) has appointed more than 50 firms to a four-year framework worth up to £400m for mechanical and electrical works. The framework runs until 2029, with options for two 12-month extensions. It…

The government has taken control of British Steel’s Scunthorpe operations but faces a race against time to keep its blast furnaces running. Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds told parliament during an emergency recall on Saturday (12 April) that the facility’s Chinese owner Jingye wanted to “refuse to purchase sufficient raw materials”…