Construction News

Thu March 28 2024

Related Information

Site closures and materials stoppages – a chicken and egg situation

30 Mar 20 While building sites are closing their gates citing a lack of materials, materials suppliers are shutting their doors because of a lack of sites staying open.

SIG is closing UK operations except for customers with critical and emergency projects
SIG is closing UK operations except for customers with critical and emergency projects

SIG last week said that it was attempting to continue trading as normally; but has today announced the temporary close of its UK, having seen sales dry up.

“Large parts of our UK market have seen sales fall away rapidly, in common with the broader construction industry,” it said. “Therefore, we have concluded that it is necessary and appropriate to temporarily close our UK operations – specifically the Distribution and Roofing businesses.

“However, we will remain open to service critical and emergency projects, such as for the NHS, energy and food sectors, as well as for safety reasons and to ensure that there is an orderly closure programme.”

On Friday leading house-builders Redrow and Berkeley both said, separately, that although they had wanted to keep sites open during the pandemic, in line with government advice, difficulties with the supply chain and materials deliveries had made it no longer feasible to keep going. Both are now scaling back and mothballing their sites, they said, because they can't get the materials they need.

Other leading house-builders, including Bovis Homes, Barratt Developments and Taylor Wimpey, decided to wind down sites as soon as the prime minister announced the lockdown on 23rd March. Taylor Wimpey, for example, said: “Although the latest government guidance has not ordered the closure of construction sites, we are taking action because we believe it is the right thing to do.”

Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk

MPU
MPU

Click here to view latest construction news »