Skip to main content
Facilitate Magazine: Informing Workplace and Facilities Management Professionals - return to the homepage Facilitate magazine logo
  • Search
  • Visit Facilitate Magazine on Facebook
  • Visit Facilitate Magazine on LinkedIn
  • Visit @Facilitate_Mag on Twitter
Visit the website of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management Logo of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
    • Comment
    • People
    • Reports
    • Research
  • Features
    • Analysis
    • Features
    • Round Tables
    • Webinars
  • Outsourcing
    • Contract Finder
    • Contracts
    • FM Business Models
    • Interviews
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Opinion
    • Procurement
    • Trends
  • Know-How
    • Explainers
    • Legal Updates
    • White Papers
  • Jobs
  • Topics
    • Workplace Services
      • Hospitality
      • Catering
      • Cleaning
      • Front of House
      • Grounds Maintenance
      • Helpdesk
      • Mailroom
      • Manned Guarding / Security
      • Pest Control
      • Washroom Services
      • Disaster Recovery
      • Specialist Services
    • Professional Performance
      • Behavioural Change
      • Continual Professional Development
      • Education
      • Management
      • Recruitment
      • Training
    • Workplace Performance
      • Benchmarking
      • Health & Wellbeing
      • Operational Readiness
      • Procurement
      • Security
      • Workplace User Experience
      • Workplace Culture
    • Compliance
      • Health & Safety
      • Risk & Business Continuity
      • Standards
      • Statutory Compliance
    • Building Services
      • Architecture & Construction
      • Asset Management
      • Building Controls
      • Building Fabric
      • Drinking Water
      • Fire Protection
      • HVAC
      • Landscaping
      • Mechanical & Electrical
      • Building Security
      • Water, Drainage & Plumbing
    • Technology
      • Building Information Modelling
      • CAFM
      • Data & Networks
      • Document Management
      • Information Management
      • Internet of Things (IoT)
      • Software & Systems
    • Energy management
      • Energy Management Systems
      • Electricity
      • Gas
      • Solar
      • Wind
    • Sustainability
      • Environmental Quality
      • Social Value
      • Waste Management
      • Recycling
    • Workspace Design
      • Agile Working
      • Fit-Out & Refurbishment
      • Inclusive Access
      • Lighting
      • Office Interiors
      • Signage
      • Space Planning
      • Storage
      • Vehicle Management / Parking
      • Washroom
    • Sectors
      • Corporate Office
      • Education
      • Healthcare
      • Manufacturing
      • International
      • Retail
      • Sports & Leisure
      • Regions
  • Buyers' Guide
Quick links:
  • Home
  • Sections
  • Topics
News
Sections
Workplace services
Professional Performance
Sectors
Standards
Compliance
Research
Information Management

80% of engineering firms expect growth despite Brexit fears

Open-access content Wednesday 14th March 2018 — updated 2.38pm, Tuesday 5th May 2020
Web_Engineer_shutterstock_660436612

14 March 2018 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal

 

Eight in 10 (80 per cent) engineering services firms say turnover increased or remained steady during the final quarter of 2017, according to findings from the sector-wide Building Engineering Business Survey.

 

The survey, run in partnership by engineering services trade bodies BESA, Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA), Scotland's Electrical Trade Association (SELECT) and Scottish & Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers' Federation (SNIPEF), received 416 responses from companies across the multibillion-pound industry during January, regarding their business performance in Q4 last year.

 

Looking ahead to the first quarter of 2018, 85 per cent businesses say they expect turnover to increase or remain the same. This expectation of growth is despite pre-Brexit uncertainty and the collapse of Carillion, which occurred one week before the survey was sent to respondents.

 

But many survey respondents reported that operational costs had risen, with almost two-thirds facing materials price rises (65 per cent), and 50 per cent facing labour cost increases. Underlining the continual problem of poor payment practice, over half of firms said they continue to be paid late on both commercial and public sector work.

 

Rob Driscoll, ECA director of business Paul Reeve and BESA Director of legal and commercial, said: "These figures show that the engineering services sector overall is in confident mood, even against a backdrop of commercial and political uncertainty and rising operational costs. However, the true effect of Carillion's insolvency on the supply chain is yet to come through."

 

SELECT head of membership and communications Alan Wilson and SNIPEF CEO Fiona Hodgson added: "SNIPEF and SELECT are keenly aware of the problems caused to SMEs as a result of poor payment practices and we have been lobbying the Scottish Government to make changes to ensure improved payment from public sector contracts as a starting point.

 

"We are also aware of some hefty increases being applied to the cost of materials and some suppliers have indicated impending rises of as much as 15 per cent, which will impact on all contractors."

 

SNIPEF members took part in the joint sector survey for the first time. Members of the four engineering services trade bodies have a combined annual turnover of £12 billion, spanning building, infrastructure, and maintenance activity.

 

Also filed in
Topics
News
Content
Workplace services
Professional Performance
Sectors
Standards
Compliance
Research
Information Management

You might also like...

Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linked in
  • Mail
  • Print

Today's top reads

 

Latest Jobs

Head of Facilities

Norwich
Market competitive salary with excellent benefits package
Reference
59397

Deputy Director of Estate Services

Newcastle-under-Lyme
£75,000 per annum
Reference
59396

Health and Safety Manager

London (Central)
£50,000
Reference
59394
See all jobs »

 

 

Sign up to our newsletter

News, jobs and updates

Sign up

Subscribe to print

Sign up to receive our bi-monthly magazine

Subscribe
Facilitate magazine cover, June 2020
​
FOLLOW US
@Facilitate_Mag
Facilitate Magazine
Facilitate Magazine
CONTACT US
Contact us
Tel: 020 7880 6200
​

IWFM

About IWFM
Become a member
Qualifications
Events

Information

Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Policy
Think Green

Get in touch

Contact us
Advertise with us
Subscribe to Facilitate Magazine
Write for Facilitate Magazine

General

IWFM Jobs
Help

© 2023 • www.facilitatemagazine.com and Facilitate Magazine are published by Redactive Media Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part is not allowed without written permission.

Redactive Media Group Ltd, 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ