PHAM NEWS | OCTOBER 2025 6 News Review


BESA president calls for a change of culture


The new President of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has called for everyone in the building services sector to “play their part” in changing the culture of construction and delivering safer and more sustainable buildings. Pete Curtis of Briggs & Forrester has been


elected to serve as president for 2025/26 and in his inaugural address asked members and the wider industry to focus on where they could influence changes to improve compliance with the Building Safety Act. “When faced with something truly seismic,


truly transformational – you have to break it down into manageable pieces,” he told his audience at the Oxo Tower in London. “For someone working in our industry, that means looking at what parts of a project or process


aspects of a business’s operations and “inspiring our supply chains to do the same”. Curtis has more than 35 years’ experience at Briggs & Forrester Group – one of the UK’s largest independent contractors, turning over more than £270m annually. He has worked his way up through the ranks to group services manager, reporting directly to the CEO and the board of directors, and has an impressive background in people development, contract management, and organisational performance. He is also a graduate of the University of Northampton, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). During his presidential year, Curtis said he


they can influence.” He said it was all too easy to call on


the government “to do something” and instead urged BESA companies to sign the Association’s new Member Pledge. This involves a practical commitment “to make a better industry” by embedding individual and organisational competence into all


planned to build on the findings of a detailed study carried out by BESA into the sector’s skills requirements and would seek to grow the number of qualified trainers and assessors supporting apprenticeships through the Association’s ‘Skills Legacy’ programme. The scheme encourages experienced engineers to “give something back to the industry” by offering their expertise to help with the delivery of apprenticeships.


Who’d put the kettle on?


New research by electrical training body NICEIC reveals householder-tradesperson relationships are becoming increasingly


transactional,


with a notable generational divide


in hospitality Tool theft on the rise again


Tool theft from UK van drivers has increased significantly, with 28% experiencing theft in 2024 compared to 19% the previous year, according to research by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. The survey of 1,000 van drivers


found the average value of stolen tools exceeded £2,400, representing a 40% year-on-year increase. Over a quarter (27%) of thefts were valued at £3,500 or above, compared to just 10% exceeding that value in 2023. The total cost to UK businesses reached £3.5bn in stolen equipment during 2024. Beyond financial losses, 86% of


theft victims experienced unplanned downtime, averaging nearly four


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days off work while restocking vans and repairing locks. One in five required over a week away from work, more than double the 1.9 days recorded the previous year. The research highlights additional


concerns, with 36% of respondents citing cost-of-living pressures as a major work-related stressor. Victims also face potential insurance premium increases, compounding the financial impact beyond replacement costs. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles


recommends van drivers utilise theft prevention technologies, secure tools properly, and park in well-lit, CCTV- monitored areas to mitigate risks. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/1025/04


interaction. Only 63% of people would offer tradespeople


tea,


though this rises to 81% among over-55s compared to just 45% of 25 to 34-year- olds. Nearly


and NEWS IN BRIEF


◼ Staff from KNIPEX UK raised over £1,000 for construction charity Band of Builders through sponsored walks during July. The team collectively walked 450 miles – the distance from their UK office to KNIPEX headquarters in Wuppertal, Germany – to support tradespeople facing illness, injury or financial hardship.


◼ Heat pump manufacturer Qvantum UK has appointed HVAC supplier Exi-tite as a distribution partner across England, Scotland and Wales. Exi-tite, headquartered in Ballygawley, Northern Ireland, with offices in London and Glasgow, special ises


in energy-


efficient climate control solutions.


◼ For the second consecutive year, Stiebel Eltron UK has been ranked among the top 100 workplaces in construction, engineering and property. The renewable heating technology supplier achieved a 92% employee satisfaction rating, significantly above the 54% typical UK company average.


◼ To provide transparent environmental


data to half (46%)


wouldn’t allow toilet access, forcing many tradespeople to find off-site facilities and disrupting their


work. Whilst 71% of over-55s would grant access, only 34% of 25 to 34-year-olds would do likewise. Greater London has the lowest toilet access rate (36%) compared to the East of England (63%). Regional variations show the South East and East of England are most hospitable, with 72% offering tea – 10% above the national average. Bristol ranks as the UK’s most welcoming city at 83%. Younger people also avoid casual conversation: only 33% of 16 to


24-year-olds and 39% of 25 to 34-year-olds would chat with tradespeople, compared to 63% of over-55s, highlighting a significant generational shift in how people engage with trades professionals. Around 16% of respondents said they have or would watch tradespeople


closely while they worked, a behaviour most common among those aged 25 to 34 (26%), but far less so for those aged 55+ (only 3%). ◼ phamnews.co.uk/1025/05


support sustainable decision- making, Stelrad Radiators has published an Environmental Product Declaration covering its entire UK steel panel portfolio, encompassing 44 product ranges.


◼ Roca Group has won the Bathroom Association’s 2025 Sustainability Awards for its electric kiln innovation. The technology revolutionises ceramic production through enhanced energy efficiency and precision temperature control, advancing decarbonisation of industrial ceramic manufacturing at scale.


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