News
8 | DECEMBER 2017
News
Read online at www. proinstaller. co. uk
ARE SMES BEING TAKEN FOR A RIDE?
The recent report on late payments from the Federation of Master Builders( FMB) makes for grim but highly predictable reading.
A quarter of firms are waiting up to four months for payment, a fifth cite late payment as a drag on expansion plans, and five per cent need to withhold wages and salaries from staff – all due to late payment issues.
To add to that, almost ten per cent of firms surveyed went out of business due to late payment.
It is an issue that has dogged the construction industry for decades. Administrators’ reports often cite payment issues as a factor in bringing down well-run firms.
The FMB has dubbed late-paying clients and large( read: tier one) contractors as cowboys.
But when the public sector is also included in the blame game, is it really cowboy behaviour from a few firms that is to blame, or actually the quiet acquiescence from many within the sector?
A report published earlier this year revealed that nearly twothirds of SMEs are not being paid for public sector work within the required 30 days.
The problem of late payments spreads like a virus and its symptoms arguably turn up everywhere you look.
Productivity levels in construction are notoriously bad, and have barely improved in decades. A series of reports have found that the supply chain is disjointed and fragmented. How late payments relate to these issues is an intriguing question that needs to be better understood. How many SMEs would or could use the money withheld by late payers to grow, invest or innovate?
The government has woken up to the issue, with the long-awaited consultation on retentions launched by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy( BEIS) a welcome move. However, without action the consultation could end up as yet another report left to gather dust while the problem goes on.
The government has been spurred to act on the back of an impact assessment conducted by Pye Tait on behalf of BEIS, which found that the estimated amount held in industry retentions in England over the course of a given year is £ 3.2bn- £ 5.9bn( in 2015 prices).
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what would a £ 30bn cash injection do for the industry’ s smaller players?
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The report comes at the same time as yet another study by the National Federation of Builders that the construction industry was the worst-offending sector of the UK economy when it came to late payments, with SMEs owed up to £ 30bn in unpaid invoices.
Imagine: what would a £ 30bn cash injection do for the industry’ s smaller players?
I would hazard a guess that the effect would be substantial.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn referenced the issue at the CBI conference, noting that Labour was ready to look into the late payment problem across all business sectors.
The big question for construction is whether the industry has the motivation to tackle this issue by itself once and for all, or instead see mandatory legislation imposed on it from above.
SIMPLE CILL ADDS VALUE
Spectus Window Systems has recently introduced the new universal two-part cill to its product portfolio. The two-part cill means that window cills are now installed in a simple two-step process. Firstly, the cill receiver is fitted during the construction process and secondly the cill nose is clipped on upon project completion.
Carmen Velilla, Spectus’ Brand Manager commented:“ The twopart cill is a product that demonstrates how such a small change can make such a big difference.”
WINDOWS RETAIN SCHOOL’ S CHARACTER
A prestigious grammar school is reaping the aesthetic and practical benefits of VEKA’ s Matrix 70 windows, installed throughout the 85-year-old building. The work follows a successful bid to the Education and Skills Funding Agency Condition Improvement Fund.
When Wirral Grammar School for Boys needed to modernise the windows on the main school building, built in 1931, it was faced with the task of finding windows to suit the architecture, as
Many original MTC Cards are currently expiring now and through 2018 and need to be renewed. Installers and surveyors should be wary over which card they use as some have switched from being personal cards to company cards that need replacing each time you change job. Those working on a sub-contracting basis may need more than one company card.
well as helping to standardise the temperature throughout the school and classrooms.
VEKA stepped up to the challenge, working with the architect and surveyor Arcadis to specify over 200 windows.
VEKA’ s Matrix 70 windows, manufactured from PVCu, helped to keep the design as close as possible to the original Georgian bar windows, while improving heat retention. The windows now also push out, instead of inwards as they did previously, allowing for
The two-part cill was showcased by Epwin Window Systems at this year’ s FIT Show and feedback from customers was very positive. Carmen said,“ Our customers welcomed the simplicity of the product and the value it offers. It’ s another great addition to Spectus’ product portfolio.”
The new Spectus two-part cill comes with a choice of cill noses and is available in all the 28 colours in the Spectrum colour range.
www. spectus. co. uk
improved ventilation throughout the rooms of the school.
https:// vekauk. com / products / veka-new-m70 /
UPGRADE TO A CORGI CARD
The new CORGI Fenestration Skills Card is your personal card. It represents the‘ gold standard’ by only recognising the best qualifications in the glazing sector – those developed and certified by GQA Qualifications.
It could not be easier to upgrade. If your existing MTC Card was issued by you achieving a GQA accredited NVQ then you automatically meet CORGI Fenestration requirements and can get
a card straight away. If your NVQ is about to expire you can easily complete a competency upgrade and get your card that way.
74 % of UK consumers recognise the CORGI name for trust, reliability, expertise and quality. Just think how valuable it would be to have the CORGI name linked to your qualifications and on your Skills Card.
www. corgifenestration. co. uk