Too many companies scrabbling for too few jobs is making the ground engineering market challenging, according to Roger Bullivant director John Patch.
“The only way to enhance margins in these conditions is to offer value engineering,” he said. “But this need for innovation means that in real terms things are improving. We also need to be careful not to talk the industry down although there needs to be a balance between realism and optimism.”
Patch also said that main contractors and project managers have higher expectations than ever before. “If they are talking to you, then it is a given that your tender price is in the right ballpark,” he explained. “What they are more interested in is what more you can offer than other tenderers in terms of services, reliability and programme delivery.
“This is not a bad thing overall – it is pushing up professionalism in the industry – but it does mean that the time taken to secure a job is growing and in some cases takes twice as long as before.”
You might also like...
Exclusive | Tideway super sewer tunnelling now set for November start
The start of tunnelling on “London’s super sewer” has been moved until next month, New Civil Engineer can reveal.
Carillion collapse | State of industry one year on
It is 12 months to the day since Carillion entered liquidation, which saw 20,000 jobs lost and the pensions of nearly 30,000 staff and former employees compromised. And ever since, the search for “the next Carillion” has captivated the imaginations of the nation.
Keller to cut 700 jobs in major global restructuring
Ground engineering specialist Keller is set to undergo a major restructuring that is expected to result in the loss of 700 jobs worldwide.
Video | Engineering challenges for Thames Tideway super sewer
With the first tunnel boring machine set to launch in November, New Civil Engineer visited the key sites along the Thames Tideway project.
Have your say
You must sign in to make a comment
Please remember that the submission of any material is governed by our Terms and Conditions and by submitting material you confirm your agreement to these Terms and Conditions. Please note comments made online may also be published in the print edition of New Civil Engineer. Links may be included in your comments but HTML is not permitted.