by Nicky Smith | 29 Jun, 2017 | Main News Feed
FIS Skills is pleased to announce that Phase Two of the FIS Skills Partnership and Approved Training Provider Network launched earlier this week.
We are working to attract over 2,000 new entrants into our sector by 2020, with a view to having a sustainable model in place to bring in a further 1,500 new entrants per annum from 2020 onwards. To do this, the delivery team must have a full network of FE Colleges and Approved Training Providers across England, Wales and Scotland.
The Phase Two launch will obtain greater coverage and growth for the FIS Skills programme, helping us to address the skills shortage.
To find out more about joining the Partnership, visit the Skills Hub here.
Download the press release here.
by Nicky Smith | 28 Jun, 2017 | Main News Feed
NBS and the CPA have together launched a survey to understand construction product manufacturers’ views on BIM. For the last seven years, NBS has published its National BIM Report, focusing on the use and adoption of BIM among the design community; this first national survey seeks to uncover the use of and attitudes towards BIM among the construction product manufacturer community.
Developed in partnership with the Construction Products Association (CPA), which represents the UK’s manufacturers and distributors of construction products and materials, the survey will also look into manufacturer views on a range of BIM related topics including: attitudes towards BIM, thoughts on its adoption and maturity, as well as the 2016 mandate.
The survey is open until 23 July 2017 and there are prizes on offer. Respondents can complete the survey here and FIS will be able to share the results with our members.
FIS has a Special Interest Forum for BIM, visit the page here.
by Nicky Smith | 28 Jun, 2017 | Main News Feed
Barbour ABI has teamed up with the Construction Products Association to produce the Regional Construction Hotspots in Great Britain 2017 report.
Barbour ABI and the Construction Products Association have analysed construction activity by region and sector in 2016, with the majority of the work taking place in 2017 onward.
The report highlights regional construction contract value ‘hotspots’ and ‘coldspots’ for last year’s commissioned work in residential, commercial and infrastructure sectors.
Activity seems to be shifting away from London and the South East, with only two London regions making it into the top ten districts for construction contract value.
To download the report please click here.
by Nicky Smith | 20 Jun, 2017 | Main News Feed
Following the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower, it is evident that the passive fire protection failed within the tower, both externally and internally. This will have implications for members and we have been contacted by several who have been approached by clients looking for reassurance. In order to discuss these issues and develop advice for members and clients, we will hold a meeting at Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ on Thursday 22 June from 9 am to 12.30 pm.
Members who wish to attend should email info@thefis.org to register. We will update all members following the meeting.
by Clair Mooney | 15 Jun, 2017 | Main News Feed
The British Council for Offices (BCO) has commissioned Sentinel, Perkins+Will and Elementa Consulting to undertake a major research study “Wellness Matters: Health and Wellbeing in offices and what to do about it”. This aims to provide definitive guidance on how to enable Health and Wellbeing across an office building’s lifecycle.
The study will review existing Health and Wellbeing measurement and certification and identify the most recent and relevant medical evidence justifying a proactive approach to Health and Wellbeing in the built environment.
Industry feedback and consultation is vital, therefore BCO would like to hear your views by the end of June.
To complete the survey visit http://surveys.pringlebrandonpw.com/s/BCOWellnessMatters2017/
by Clair Mooney | 15 Jun, 2017 | Main News Feed
Nevill Long is hosting a Spray Readymixed Finishing breakfast event, with Knauf, on 7 July at its Plymouth branch. FIS members are invited to attend free of charge.
Two live demonstrations of the Knauf Airless Finish will take place at 8 am and 10.30 am. Each session will include:
• Full demonstration of Knauf Airless Finish, showing how fast, clean and efficient the system is
• An opportunity to use the spray machine and see the benefits of a premixed finish
• Free breakfast for everyone who attends
• Machine set up and finishing, with experts on-hand to offer advice on spray machines
The event will take place at Encon Plymouth – Unit 4, Langage One, Western Wood Way, Langage Science Park, Plymouth PL7 5BE
To register your interest, please email PlymouthSprayDay@Encon.co.uk with your details, and which session you would like to attend.
by Nicky Smith | 9 Jun, 2017 | Main News Feed
The latest edition of FIS Focus is now available on the website. The 38-page magazine features all our winners of the 2017 Contractors Awards which were announced at The Dorchester Hotel in London this week. We talk to Mark Farmer, author of Modernise or Die, who shares his views on the skills crisis. BSI put their new Code of Practice for Smart Working into practice and Chris Wheal reviews the newly launched Client Guide: Office Fit-Out and Refurbishment.
Read the magazine here.
by Nicky Smith | 7 Jun, 2017 | Main News Feed
The FIS Awards Lunch took place on Tuesday 6 June 2017 at The Dorchester Hotel in London and was attended by 455 members and guests. The wet weather didn’t dampen spirits though as the industry came together to hear the winners of the Contractors Awards announced.
Steve Coley gave his last speech as FIS President; a very amusing account of his visit to the AWCI Expo in Las Vegas with a comparison of the problems our industry faces both in the UK and the US.
Representatives from our nominated charity Bounce Back collected a respectable £2,989.30 thanks to the generous donations of our members. The auction of the wonderful wood carving ‘My son the ceiling fixer’ was won by Helen Tapper of Tapper Interiors and raised £1,650.
We were treated to an amusing after-dinner speech by John Lloyd CBE, the man behind some of the most successful and well-loved TV and radio of the last three decades. John then compèred the announcement of award winners as follows:
Judges Award had two Gold winners;
Atkin Trade Specialists for its installation at Extra Care Housing in Dorchester
Worksmart Contracts Ltd for its project at Ayr Gaiety Theatre in Ayrshire
Operable Walls Silver – Hufcor UK for its contract at the Leicester Royal Infirmary clinical training facility
Operable Walls Gold – Style Moveable Partition Specialists for its installation at Francis Crick Institute
Steel Framed System Silver – Errigal Contracts for its installation at Morello in Surrey
Steel Framed System Gold – SCS Building Solutions Ltd for its installation at Victoria Gate in Leeds
Specialist Joinery Silver – Pexhurst Services for its installation at DTZ Investors in London
Specialist Joinery Gold – Bushcrafted for its contract at Young Living in London
Drywall Construction Residential Silver – Errigal Contracts for its project at One Tower Bridge in London
Drywall Construction Residential Gold – Stortford Interiors for its Riverwalk Project in London
Drywall Construction Commercial Silver – Lakeside Ceilings and Partitions for its installation at Tata Technologies in Warwickshire
Drywall Construction Commercial Gold – Quad Building Services for its contract at Victoria Embankment
Suspended Ceilings Silver – Astins Ltd for its ceilings installation at The Victoria and Albert Museum Exhibition Road Project in London
Suspended Ceilings Gold – Integra Contracts for its contract at 6 PS in London
Partitioning category Silver – Moda Interiors for its contract at Birmingham University’s new library building
Partitioning category Gold – Clestra Hauserman for its partitioning installation for a leading packaging solutions provider in London
Interior Fit-Out under £1M Silver – QOB Interiors for its contract at One Carter Lane in London
Interior Fit-Out under £1M Gold – DSP Interiors for its project at KTM Sportmotorcycle in Northamptonshire
Interior Fit-Out over £1M Silver – Horbury Group for its contract at the University of Birmingham Library
Interior Fit-Out over £1M Gold – Claremont Group Interiors for its project at King in London
Project of the Year had two winners;
Locker and Riley Fibrous Plastering for its contract at the Lanesborough Hotel in London
SCS Building Solutions for its contract at Victoria Gate in Leeds
All winners are featured in the June edition of FIS Focus here. The full magazine can be viewed here.
We would like to thank all entrants and sponsors of the 2017 awards; entries for the 2018 FIS Contractors Awards will open in July.
by Nicky Smith | 2 Jun, 2017 | Main News Feed
A summary of the data from the Markit/CIPS Construction PMI® for May revealed that construction growth rebounded to a 17-month high in May, driven by housebuilding.
Other key findings include:
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- Business activity rises at fastest pace since December 2015
- Residential work replaces civil engineering as best performing category
- Input cost inflation moderates to seven-month low
To view the full report, click here.
