9%fall in new house buyers in 2022, according
to Yorkshire Building Society
9.3%
increase in Consumer prices Index in the 12 months to November
9%fall in house prices until
September 2024, according to the OBR
Construction falls at fastest rate since May 2020
The UK’s construction sector recorded a fall in activity in December 2022, with the rate of decline the fastest since May 2020. New orders fell at the fastest rate for over two-and-a-half years and optimism for the year ahead dipped into negative territory for only the sixth time on record. That’s all according to the latest seasonally adjusted S&P Global / CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index®. At 48.8 in December, down
from 50.4 in November, the headline Index – which measures month-on-month changes in total industry activity – registered below the 50.0 mark to signal the first contraction in construction sector output since last August. Although commercial construction activity continued to rise in the
final month of the year, the rate of contraction eased to the slowest in the current four-month sequence and was only fractional overall (index at 50.3). As such, the uplift in the commercial sector was outweighed by contractions across the residential and civil engineering sectors in December. Housing activity declined for the first time since last July and only marginally (48.0), while civil engineering recorded a sixth consecutive monthly contraction in output (46.8) and the rate of decline remained sharp overall. According to survey respondents, the fall was driven by weak client demand, linked in turn to higher prices.
Dr John Glen, Chief Economist at the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, said: “The construction sector was stuck in the mud in December with the
steepest fall in activity since the beginning of the pandemic in May 2020 and a similarly fast drop in pipelines of new work.
“House building saw a notable change of direction, with a mix of higher inflation for raw materials and transportation and the squeeze on affordability rates for mortgages resulting in fewer house sales. The sector subsequently fell back into contraction for the first time since July. Civil engineering, responsible for larger projects, continued to be the weakest performer again, with a sixth month in the doldrums as uncertainty about the UK economy reared its ugly head again and customers hesitated. Supply chain managers reined back spending on materials with the sharpest fall in buying activity for over two-and- a-half years as a result of this poor demand.
IBMG launches cost of living package for employees
Independent Builders Merchant Group has launched a cost of living support package for its employees. Some 2,000+ employees across the 20 brands of the IBMG will benefit from a three-pronged package of additional support that includes a one-off winter payment, a ‘perks package’ and a special Employee Purchase Scheme. IBMG made a one-off payment of £500 to employees this winter in an immediate effort to assist with the rising cost of living.
Along-side this IBMG has also launched a Group-wide employee ‘perks package’, that has proven successful in saving £1000s during its pilot run throughout the Parker Building Supplies network. This package provides discounts for IBMG employees on a raft of daily essentials such as groceries, clothes, mobile phones, insurance and household bills. Finally, IBMG has a new special employee purchase scheme offering discounts on IBMG’s range
energy saving products, such as insulation and draught proofing. IBMG’s CEO, Martin Stables, said:
“We are delighted to be able to provide this support. We forecast that the combination of these measures will immediately benefit and support our team. “These are extraordinary times and as a leading group of successful builders merchants, we feel it is important to support our brilliant employees throughout the business.”
National Timber Group acquires NORclad
National Timber Group has bought specialist cladding company NORclad. Headquartered in North Somerset, Norclad is a specialist manufacturer and supplier of bespoke fire-rated timber cladding, facades and other timber products and the shareholders will remain in the business, working closely with Patrick Guest, managing director of NTG England.
Alistair Brown, managing director of NORclad, said: “As the founder of the company I am very proud of the NORclad team and what we have achieved. When we knew the time was right to move the business on by joining forces with a larger organisation our aim was to find
January 2023
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
a suitable partner that shared our passion and goals. With National Timber Group, we have found the right people with the same values as us – a continual focus on the customer and the drive to constantly improve. I look forward to the business continuing to grow and develop.’’
Patrick Guest, National Timber Group Managing Director for England, commented: “As a specialist, added-value timber manufacturer and distributor, we are absolutely delighted to welcome NORclad to NTG. They will add to what we can do as a Group and are a great example of the type of business we want to partner with.’’
5
“Optimism remained very flat. Builders are fast running out of the resilient spirit maintained over the last couple of years as the blocks to success piled up and the winter of discontent with high inflation, strikes and shortages continues.”
EPD Insulation Group MD
recognised for H&S work
Steven Boon, managing director at EPD Insulation Group has been granted a ‘Highly Commended’ in the Safety & Heath Practiioner Awards. Boon noticed the need for mental health support, and although he trained selected staff in mental health first aid, he felt it wasn’t enough, and decided to offer free mental health support to his employees through a qualified outside practitioner to aid anyone who may be able to benefit from it.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
