All Construction Articles

Sentiment about the European construction sector softened further in August, with current activity falling and prospects for the future weakening. Chris Sleight reports.

Uganda and Sudan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will see the development of a railway line between the two countries, according to Uganda's Monitor news agency.

The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) has signed a new loan agreement with the Sudanese Government to help finance construction of the controversial Merowe Dam, according to the state-funded Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty has announced a CA$ 1.1 billion (US$ 1.05 billion) investment plan for new infrastructure projects in the Canadian province of Ontario.

Bam reported first half sales of € 4,2 billion, up +10% on the same period in 2007. Pre-tax profit mirrored sales as it also climbed +10% from € 119 million in the first half of 2007 to € 131 million in 2008.

Progress on the London 2012 Olympic Park became clearly visible this week as new images revealed the columns of the Olympic Stadium emerging from the ground.

CRH recorded 2008 first half sales of € 9,7 billion, almost mirroring the same period of last year. However, with higher commodity prices and a weak dollar to euro exchange rate, the company reported a pre-tax profit of € 606 million, down -10% on the comparable 2007 period.

Doosan Infracore has acquired Norwegian articulated dump truck (ADT) manufacturer Moxy for € 55 million through its European subsidiary DIEU. The company says it wants to increase Moxy's sales fivefold by 2012, from last year's € 54 million to € 250 million.

JCB has begun to shift UK production of its excavator range to a new UK£ 40 million (€ 50 million) factory.

NCC's operating profit for the first half of the year was down -10% compared to the same period last year, to SEK 1138 million (€ 121 million). Its revenues were almost unchanged at SEK 27 billion (€ 2,88 billion).

Architect HOK has released the first images of its design for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office's new British Embassy building in Jakarta, Indonesia. The 3800 m² scheme, due for completion in 2011, is designed over three levels and is located on a 1.5 hectare site in central Jakarta.

Spanish construction and utilities group FCC has agreed to acquire the Spanish wind power assets of Australian investment company Babcock & Brown for a total of € 780 million.

Holcim recorded first half sales of CHF 12,4 billion (€ 7,68 billion), down -4,4% on the same period in 2007.

Cemex says it will submit a complaint to the World Bank's Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes following the Venezuelan Government's seizure of its assets in the country. The company says the move viiolated both national and international law.

Komatsu's D51 EX/PX-22 medium-sized dozer has won the silver award in the US International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) 2008.

Lend Lease achieved an operating profit of AU$ 447 million (US$ 389 million) for the 12 months to the end of June, an +8% increase on the previous year's performance. Its revenues were up +3% to AU$ 4.7 billion (US$ 12.8 billion).

Heijmans has described its financial results for the first half of the year as "poor." Its revenues were up just +2% compared to the first six months of 2007, to € 1,72 million, and its post-tax profit fell from € 19 million last year to just € 2 million for the first half of 2008.

Terex has launched its new range of compact tracked loaders designed by ASV, the US manufacturer that it bought earlier this year. Initially, Terex has brought the PT-30, PT-60 and PT-80 to market with operating weights of 1500 kg, 2880 kg and 4070 kg respectively. A PT-100 model will follow in 2009.

Zaha Hadid Architects has unveiled its design for seven 36-storey residential towers and twelve villas on a 78000 m2 site at Farrer Road, Singapore.