Plant & Civil Engineer Mar-Apr 2021

Welcome to our latest issue of Plant & Civil Engineer. Spring is definitely in the air, and with summer around the corner and hopefully an end to the current lockdown restrictions in sight, there’s a growing optimism across many sectors of our industry.

A new survey from accountancy and business advisory firm BDO suggested that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, 85% of construction firms say they feel positive about their prospects for the year ahead. While acknowledging the ongoing economic challenges, two thirds of construction industry respondents said they expected their revenues to rise over the next 12 months, with over half saying that they expected profits to rise. 

However, this optimism has to be set in context with the findings of some new research into the extent of the skills shortage within the construction industry. A report by multi-discipline recruitment specialist, Search Consultancy, has found that 83% of businesses are currently feeling the strain from a lack of skilled workers.

It also added that on average, businesses in the industry are 22% understaffed with the average lead time to hire a suitable candidate standing at just below four months.

So, what have we got for you in this issue? We turn a special focus on Terex Washing
Systems. While its roots are firmly established locally in County Tyrone, Terex Washing
Systems enjoys a reach that is truly global; we’ve been talking to the team to find
out how the company’s past has played a part in its present and its future.

We also turn the spotlight on what’s new in the increasingly busy compaction market and we feature some of the new developments in the backhoe loaders sector, as well as get the ‘view from the cab’ of some of the very latest machines earning their keep across the country.

There’s no Hillhead this year, but a digital’ version was staged online over two days at the end of March and by all accounts it’s been a resounding success, with over 300 exhibitors taking part; we carry a review of the event, highlighting some of the new product launches.

 

Please click the download button in the magazine viewer below
for the Mar-Apr 2021 issue of Plant & Civil Engineer Magazine.