News

Thames Gateway Minister, Bob Neill, has opened a new £13.5m freight link from the North Kent Line to the former Lafarge Cement Works at Northfleet.

In the four years since the last all-industry conference (and six since I actually attended one), there have been some major and minor changes.

Olympic and world championship medal winners Roger Black and Steve Backley took the 2012 NMBS all-industry conference to new heights with their presentation on Saturday afternoon.

Dani King, the cyclist sponsored by independent builders merchant Elliotts, has been selected for Team GB at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Builders merchant organisation the Builders Merchant Federation is to hold an all-industry conference in 2013.

At the last all industry conference way back in 2008, Hilton warned delegates of what was to come in terms of the credit crunch and the recession. At the time, delegates didn't believe him. Four years on, and his message has become more positive.

The Chief Construction Adviser to the Government, Paul Morrell, told the NMBS 2012 conference about the problems that the industry is facing when dealing with large clients -especially when those clients are government departments.

Is it just me? Chris Ashworth just gave a very clear and comprehensive overview of the Green Deal: what it is, what it's intended to achieve, how it's going to work, how it's going to be funded, what the home owner will be expected to do, and so.

The European Union is trying to end the UK's rate of VAT on insulation , in a move that could prove a major blow to the government's Green Deal energy efficiency plans.

Opinions are mixed among Marbella conference speakers as to whether the Green Deal is an opportunity for merchants or not.