‘Business as usual’ for two thirds of


SME house builders, says FMB Two thirds of SME house builders are yet to see any significant changes to their project pipelines in the wake of Brexit, new research from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has revealed. The survey - which is the first to be conducted among SME house builders


since the EU referendum - found that 69% of firms are yet to see any changes to their businesses resulting from the referendum. Brian Berry, Chief


Executive of the FMB, said: “SME house builders are crucial to achieving the Government’s ambition to build one million homes by 2020, so Ministers will no doubt be bolstered by these initial post-Brexit findings. Despite some fears that the referendum result might put new projects on hold, the overwhelming majority of SME house builders are reporting that no decisions have yet been influenced by the referendum result. This matches the view expressed by many small construction firms that so far, the market appears to suggest that it’s ‘business as usual’. Only one quarter of small house builders have seen any negative effect on their projects from the Brexit decision, and most of these are the result of delayed decisions rather than actual project cancellations.” Berry continued: “Brexit aside, we should not paint an overly rosy picture of


the situation facing SME house builders. The barriers to building that existed prior to the referendum are still hindering delivery, and as the housing crisis continues to be a pressing concern, the need to empower smaller developers must be a priority for May’s Government. To this end, it’s worth noting that more than half of SME house builders state that the removal of unnecessary red tape should be the most important consideration for the new Government as they begin to negotiate the UK’s exit from the EU.” Berry concluded: “More than one fifth of SME house builders are demanding


that the Government finds a way of ensuring a sufficient number of skilled tradespeople from the EU are still able to enter the UK. The Prime Minister insists that freedom of movement is now over and if this is not likely to be replaced by a points-based system - as reported this week - crucial sectors like the construction industry must be reassured that whatever system does replace it, it is flexible enough to respond to our needs. Otherwise, the construction skills shortage will be exacerbated and ultimately, it will become a major barrier to delivering the housing and infrastructure projects we so desperately need.”


IPAF representative for India Jason Woods, IPAF Middle East representative, will take on additional responsibility as IPAF’s representative for India. This new role builds on Jason’s extensive experience in the access industry and


recent success in growing IPAF’s presence in the Middle East. IPAF currently has members across Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It has also established good relations with several health & safety authorities in the region, with the aim of promoting the safe use of powered access equipment in different industries. “Adding India to IPAF’s Middle East representation


was a logical development, due to the strong trade links between the regions, with many India-based companies operating in the Gulf area,” said IPAF CEO Tim Whiteman. Nitin Gokhale from Dynamic Crane Engineers,


who chairs the IPAF India Country Council, said: “IPAF members in India welcome Jason’s new appointment and additional support. This will help us further promote the safe and effective use of powered access in emerging markets where technical expertise, guidance, training and safety initiatives will be of great benefit.” There are currently close to 15 IPAF members in


India. Jason Woods is based in the UAE and can be contacted on jason.woods@ipaf.org


telephone 01444 440188


Flood Hit Town Fights Back with


Order for Emergency Pumps A Yorkshire community which was devastated by severe floods is proactively


fighting back against the elements with an order of specialist water pumps from Morris Site Machinery. After the devastating floods of December 2015 which severely affected the


country, the town of Tadcaster suffered its largest floods on record where the bridge over the river Wharfe collapsed dividing the town in two, with many homes and businesses damaged in the devastating floods. Tadcaster Flood Action Group needed a robust and reliable product that could


be easily towed, set up and put into use in the case of an emergency and pump the flood water. After lengthy research and joint discussions with the Fire Service, Yorkshire Water, the Environment Agency and other companies, the group chose leading pump manufacturer Morris Site Machinery. The Hilta range from Morris Site Machinery supplies submersible, centrifugal


and diaphragm pumps. The entire unit on the Hilta C100 has a road towable trailer and two wheel site chassis options for easier manoeuvrability along with its compact design making it easier to transport. The C100 pumps can be used in residential and built-up areas due to its diesel


powered 4” super silent automatic vacuum priming pump which generates very little noise. Richard Rafferty, Senior


Coordinator of Tadcaster Flood Action Group, said: “We were more than happy with the Hilta C100 pumps and would happily recommend Morris Site Machinery for their products, their value for money and their customer service which is second to none.” For more information on Morris Site Machinery and their products visit www.morrismachinery.co.uk or call 0345 409 0280.


Leada Acrow Builds for the Future


by Introducing Trainee Scheme Leada Acrow, the leading falsework, formwork and groundwork supplier, is introducing a Trainee Scheme as part of the company’s quest to attract and retain the most talented people in the industry. The trainees will be employed as Temporary Works Engineers and will be given on-the-job training by experienced professionals in the company’s Technical Offices whilst also completing a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Civil/Structural Engineering on a day or block release basis. Leada Acrow operates four design offices in Colnbrook, Walsall Wood,


Chesterfield and Glasgow, where Temporary Works Engineers use the latest 2D and 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems to prepare detailed designs for the company’s entire product range. This enables Leada Acrow to provide a fast, efficient design service to complement the equipment supplied, as well as ensuring rapid response to structural or design changes. Paul Raybone, Technical Director


of Leada Acrow, said: “We have adopted a long-term view with regards to recruitment and introducing a Trainee Scheme helps us build for our future. Our Temporary Works Engineers perform a very important function and the scheme will allow trainees to benefit from on-the-job training alongside experienced Design Engineers whilst gaining a qualification in Civil/Structural Engineering. “Investing in our future is important, our first trainee, Lewis Cunningham has


started in our Glasgow office and we are hoping to extend the programme even further to develop more candidates. We anticipate the Trainee Scheme will be a fantastic route to a long and successful career with Leada Acrow, allowing people to learn as they earn”. Web: www.leadaacrow.com Twitter: @leadaacrow


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