Housing starts in England are their highest for 9 years!

After the good news we brought you last week about the growth in the builders' merchant market, all at Pinnacle Consulting were delighted to hear that the building industry has been given another much needed boost.

Housing starts in England have reached their highest level since 2008, according to the latest government figures released.

In the year to June 2017, 164,960 new build homes were started, a 13% increase year-on-year. Meanwhile, completions rose 11% to 153,330.

Private starts climbed 16% during the period to 139,140, whilst those for housing associations dipped 2% to 24,220.

And private completions during the year to June 2017 lifted 12% year-on-year to 125,550. Housing association completions rose 6% to 26,170.

Quarterly figures show some decline, with overall new build starts (seasonally adjusted) dropping 3% to 41,180 during the June 2017 quarter against the March 2017 quarter. But June quarter completions, at 40,310, were 2% higher.

Seasonally adjusted private starts quarter-on-quarter were stable at 35,570 (0% change), with starts for housing associations decreasing 19% to 5,280.

And private quarterly completions (seasonally adjusted) also remained the same at 32,730, with those for housing associations climbing 17% to 7,200.

Murray Smith,MD of residential property sales and development consultancy SiteSales Property Group, said: “The statistics reflect what we knew, in that completions on projects commenced pre- Brexit would be healthy, while the post-vote hiatus in the industry and an uncertain market has withheld starts in recent quarters.”

Housing and planning minister Alok Sharma said: “It’s vital we maintain this momentum to deliver more quality homes in the places that people want to live. Our housing white paper set out an ambitious package of long-term reforms to do just that.”

Builders' Merchant Sales for Q2 2017 up by over 5%!

New data released in the BMF’s Builders Merchants Building Index (BMBI) confirms a continuing positive trend for UK builders merchants with Q2 sales increasing by 5.3% (when adjusted for there being two fewer trading days in period) compared to Q2 2016. This is positive news for the building industry, especially in light of some disappointed industry research released in the last few weeks.

The actual Q2 year on year sales figure (for 61 days trading compared to 63 in 2016) is still positive at +1.9%. Furthermore, year to date sales figures to June are 3.8% higher than for 2016, a period with the same number of trading days.

The majority of product areas performed well in Q2. Sales of Ironmongery (+8.4%) and Kitchens and Bathrooms (+8.3%) led the way in adjusted year on year growth for the quarter.

The three largest product groups also performed well with sales of Timber & Joinery up by +6.0%, Landscaping +5.9% and Heavy Building Materials +5.6%. Sales of Plumbing, Heating and Electrical products also showed growth at +3.8%, although the increase was lower than the total builders merchants channel.

The BMBI tracks builders merchants actual sales using point of sale data collected by GfK that represents over 80% of the value of the builders’ merchant market.

The Q2 results appear to tell a different story to the trend reported by the Office of National Statistics earlier this month, in which overall construction output fell by -1.3% in the three months to June compared with Q1 and rose by just +0.4% on the same period last year.

Commenting on the results, John Newcomb, BMF CEO said: “The majority of trade indicators are finding that order books are being sustained by private housing and RMI work – the mainstay of many a merchant’s business – while commercial sectors are falling behind. Even the ONS reported a year on year increase in housing of +9.4% for the quarter.

Take a look at the latest builders' merchant jobs >>

“I have visited over 20 BMF members in recent weeks and every one reported sales growth in the first half. While they have seen little evidence of a slow down in overall sales, they are reporting more price increases, an inevitable result of the falling exchange rate, and shortages in certain product areas. The merchant sector is showing resilience at the moment, but it would be foolish not to consider the possibility of tougher trading conditions as we move into 2018.”

Richard Frankcom of GfK adds: “Once again the builders merchants deliver great year-on-year sales value growth across the first six-months of 2017, coming from a variety of product categories. However, we cannot ignore the contribution that increased costs and price increases have had on this continued value growth.

“Going forward, we urge the industry to keep a close eye on trends impacting consumers’ ability to carry out renovations and improvements. Bank interest rates and real wage trends impact consumers’ ability to finance home improvements or house moves. We have just seen a significant drop in intentions to invest in home-related projects which could be felt by the merchants as early as the end of this year. However, home improvement projects could still be one of the best investments home owners and landlords can make right now. The encouragement and evidence for them to do so needs to come from somewhere during these uncertain economic times.”

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Job in Focus: National Sales Manager for Fenestration Systems - £70k OTE

Our new Job in Focus is for a manufacturer of fenestration systems. As the new National Sales Manager you will be responsible for heading up the sales team on the trade division managing two external and five internal sales professionals across the UK.

You will be tasked with growing the revenue and sales team by targeting residential & commercial projects working with installers, contractors and merchants across the UK. 

Our Construction & Building Industry Job in Focus feature takes a detailed look at some of the fantastic sales & marketing construction and building materials job vacancies currently on our books. 

Job in Focus is also promoted on our website. www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk 


JOB IN FOCUS FULL DETAILS

Job Title: National Sales Manager
Job Ref: J9333
Product: Fenestration
Location: National
Salary: £60k

Manufacturer of fenestration systems. Managing 2 ASM's and 5 internal sales. 

Package: Up to £60K with £70K+ OTE. Company Car, Mobile, Laptop, Pension. 

Employer: Innovative manufacturer of fenestration systems with a fantastic name in the market due to consistently offering high levels of service and product quality. 

Job Description: You will be responsible for heading up the sales team on the trade division managing two external and five internal sales professionals across the UK. You will be tasked with growing the revenue and sales team by targeting residential & commercial projects working with installers, contractors and merchants across the UK. 

Area: Field based role covering nationally. The ideal candidate will live in and around the South East i.e. Hertford, London, Chelmsford, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Reading, Guildford etc. due to the location of some of the key account but this is not essential. 

Person: Due to the growth potential of this division we are seeking a proven sales management professional with experience of the fenestration industry. The ideal candidate will have experience working with merchants and contractors but other routes to market may be considered. 


For further information or to discuss your career options contact Luke Rootham on 01480 405225 or apply online.

UK construction industry growth slows to lowest in six years

Growth prospects for the construction industry in 2018 have been downgraded as the UK prepares to leave the EU, according to the latest forecasts by the Construction Products Association (CPA). Output is expected to soften as a slowing economy, falling real wages and rising costs adversely affect the industry, growth for 2018 is therefore only expected to rise by 0.7%, the slowest in six years, and a downward revision from 1.2% in previous forecasts.

View the Summer 2017 Construction Industry Forecast here.

For now, activity on site is high and output is expected to rise by 1.6% in 2017, a revision upwards from 1.3% in previous forecasts. This will be partly due to a sharp rise from new contracts and activity in the £6.9 billion public housing repair, maintenance and improvements to deal with short-term urgent measures that will need to be made in light of the Grenfell Tower fire.


An increase in infrastructure activity and private housebuilding are expected to be the primary drivers of growth over the next two years which will help offset a sharp fall in the commercial and industrial sectors. Growth in infrastructure will be due to major projects in rail and water & sewerage such as HS2 and the Thames Tideway Tunnel, with activity forecast to grow by 7.4% in 2017 and 6.4% in 2018. Growth will be reliant on delivery of these projects and the extent of the continued delays to main works at Hinkley Point C have resulted in it no longer included in the CPA forecasts.  

Growth for the industry in 2018 will also be heavily reliant on private housebuilding, however the sector is still reliant on Help to Buy equity loans to drive housebuilding numbers. The policy is in place until 2021, which is expected to support demand for new build and drive growth in private housing starts of 3.0% in 2017 and 2.0% in 2018. However, this is slower than in previous years given uncertainties over the strength of consumer confidence and falls in real earnings.

Looking further ahead, growth for 2019 is projected to be 1.8%, but given the unprecedented economic and political uncertainties following the lack of a significant majority for the UK government as the UK leaves the EU, the risks around this forecast are considerable.

Look at the latest construction sales jobs here>>

Noble Francis, Economics Director at the Construction Products Association said: "Construction firms are still reporting that activity remains high and there are still lots of cranes around. But there are clear signs that construction output is slowing and that next year, in particular, will be difficult for the industry. Prospects for construction have been adversely affected by slowing UK economic growth and falling real wages on one side and sharp rising costs on the other. A fall in new investment, especially where it is large international investment looking for a long-term rate of return, is forecast to lead to declines in the commercial and industrial sectors."

"Despite the slowdown in the general housing market, particularly in London, house builders continue to increase supply, albeit more slowly than in recent years. Currently, more than a third of new house building is being sustained by the government's Help to Buy and should continue to do so over the next 18 months if the wider economy and housing market don’t slow further. However, if economic conditions do deteriorate further, house builders can react quite quickly if necessary.

"Increases in infrastructure investment are also expected to offset these declines and be the key driver of any construction growth going forward. However, concerns regarding rising costs and delays to major projects continue to dog the sector so there remains a high degree of uncertainty around infrastructure growth in the next few years. And this infrastructure investment will be vital for the industry as a whole. Without it, total construction output would fall by 1.0% in 2018."

Commercial Construction Activity has slowed for the first time in 5 months

The latest Construction Purchasing Manager's Index® (PMI®) has revealed that UK construction companies recorded another growth slowdown in July, reflecting lower volumes of commercial building and a softer expansion of housing activity.

The latest survey also revealed a reduction in new business volumes for the first time since August 2016, which acted as a headwind to job creation and input buying across the construction sector. 

At the same time, intense supply chain pressures continued in July and prices for construction materials increased at one of the sharpest rates since the first half of 2011.     

• Weakest construction performance since August 2016 
• Commercial work falls at fastest pace for 12 months   
• New orders decline, leading to softer job creation in July

Adjusted for seasonal influences, the IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index® (PMI®) dropped from 54.8 in June to 51.9 in July, to signal the weakest construction performance since August 2016. The latest reading was below the long-run survey average (54.5) and pointed to only a moderate pace of business activity growth.     

Lower levels of commercial construction were a key factor holding back overall business activity growth in July. Although only modest, the reduction in commercial activity was the fastest for 12 months. A number of survey respondents cited delays in decision making by clients, linked to worries about the economic outlook and heightened political uncertainty. 

Residential building remained the strongest performing category of activity in July, although the latest rise was the slowest for three months. The only upturn in output growth was recorded in the civil engineering sector.

Construction firms commented on greater reluctance to commit to new projects among clients in July. Weaker demand led to an overall reduction in new business volumes for the first time since the post-referendum rebound began in September 2016. Deteriorating order books resulted in more cautious staff recruitment policies, as highlighted by a moderation in employment growth to its slowest for 11 months. Sub-contractor usage also decreased during the latest survey period.       

July data suggested that UK construction companies responded to lower sales by tightening up purchasing activity at their business units. The latest increase in input buying was only marginal and the weakest since March. Delivery times for construction materials continued to lengthen sharply, which survey respondents linked to low stocks and stretched capacity among suppliers. Meanwhile, input cost inflation remained elevated and close to the peaks seen at the start of 2017, which was partly linked to prices for imported items.

Construction firms remained upbeat about their growth prospects, but the degree of optimism was the lowest since July 2016. This was attributed to heightened economic uncertainty and subdued confidence among clients.

Tim Moore, Associate Director at IHS Markit and author of the IHS Markit/CIPS Construction PMI®, said:

“July data reveals a growth slowdown in the UK construction sector, mainly driven by lower volumes of commercial development and a loss of momentum for house building. Weaker contributions from the cyclically sensitive areas of construction activity more than offset resilience in the civil engineering sector.

“Worries about the economic outlook and heightened political uncertainty were key factors contributing to subdued demand.

Construction firms reported that clients were more reluctant to spend and had opted to take longer in committing to new projects.“There was a knock-on impact for job creation and input buying following the largest downturn in order books since August 2016. However, supply chain pressures remained intense, reflecting low stocks among vendors, and materials prices continued to rise at one of the fastest rates seen for six years.

“The combination of weaker order books and sharply rising construction costs gives concern that an extended soft patch for the construction sector may be on the horizon.”

Duncan Brock, Director of Customer Relationships at the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, said:

“The number of new orders dropped significantly this month and at the fastest rate since August 2016, as commitment-averse clients contributed to the sector’s weak trajectory.

“Commercial building activity slowed for the first time in five months and was the main drag on the Index. Housing, the shining light of the sector eased marginally, but produced the slowest growth since April, as parallels with the darker days of Brexit, worries about the UK economy and post-election uncertainty can be seen across the construction sector.

“Continuing price pressures from the weak pound lingered, driving cost inflation near to a six-year peak, stifling purchasing activity and jobs growth. All in all, a challenging start to Q3 and there are possible roadblocks ahead for the sector in the rest of 2017, with longer lead times and suppliers struggling with stock levels, which adds insult to injury.”

Job in Focus: Selling Civils Products for a Leading Contractor to Housebuilders - £60k

Our new Job in Focus for August is a Business Development role selling Civils Products for a Leading Contractor selling to Housebuilders. You would be required to develop sales and demand for major residential and commercial projects. We are looking for an ambitious and driven individual.

Our Construction & Building Industry Job in Focus feature takes a detailed look at some of the fantastic sales & marketing construction and building materials job vacancies currently on our books. 

Job in Focus is also promoted on our website. www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk 


JOB IN FOCUS FULL DETAILS

LEADING CIVIL ENGINEERING CONTRACTOR WITHIN THE GROUNDWORKS MARKET

PACKAGE: Up to £60,000 with bonus plus company car, fuel card, pension, healthcare, mobile phone, laptop and holidays.

EMPLOYER: Well respected main contractor within the civil and groundworks market, specialising in quality service and meeting the customers expectations. They are a rapidly growing business with loads of opportunity for both personal and career development.

JOB DESCRIPTION: Business Development Manager - focusing on developing sales within the groundworks market place. The successful candidate will be selling the business on its USPs trying to create demand working on major projects such as large residential, commercial projects as well as within the rail market. Your main focus will be on targeting main contractors, house builders and civil contractors. There are already strong relationships with a number of loyal accounts but there will also be an element of creating new business within the area.

AREA: South - Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, London, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and South Wales

PERSON: The successful candidate will have experience within the construction market place, ideally with civil, groundworks or heavy side product knowledge but the client is open as long as the candidate has strong contacts with contractors or House builders. The successful candidate with be ambitious and very driven personality who wants to prove themselves within a growing business.

For further information or to discuss your career options contact Stuart Entwistle on 01480 405225 or apply online.

A welcome Marketing first for the Construction Industry

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), the world’s leading professional marketing body, champion of customer engagement and best practice in the industry, has announced the launch of its first sector-specific Marketing Programme for the construction industry.

This is an initiative which Pinnacle Consulting wholly supports, as our research has shown that once a marketeer starts a career in the construction industry, they stay in it for a long time. However, opportunities in those early stages can be rare and the chance for marketeers to have an enhanced understanding of our unique industry is very welcome. We will certainly be recommending to suitable candidates that that investigate this programme as a key part of their career development. It is something companies should also be looking to provide to some of their team members. 

This programme incorporates an internationally recognised CIM qualification, offers additional training opportunities and has been specifically designed to equip professionals with core marketing expertise combined with an understanding of the particular requirements of this complex and critical industry.

CIM and its Construction Industry Group (CIMCIG) have been working together to develop the programme and CIMCIG have been instrumental in providing industry insight and ensuring that the programme meets the needs of the industry.

The skills shortage is a widely recognised challenge for the construction industry in the UK; with one fifth of all vacancies persistently hard to fill because employers cannot recruit staff with the right skills, qualifications or experience and the demand is forecast to rise even further.  The marketing discipline is not immune.  The CIM programme has been developed based on research into the Industry carried out by CIMCIG, which highlighted the demand for relevant training and a general disquiet around the level of skills in many marketing teams.

Mike Lomax, Chair of CIM’s Construction Industry Group (CIMCIG) and a seasoned construction sector marketer, observed: “Worth over £1 billion per year and responsible for 10% of the working population, the construction sector is both hugely significant and individual in character.  CIM’s new Marketing Programme will provide a solid foundation for junior marketers and individuals in a marketing support role within the construction industry. It will equip them with the practical skills and knowledge they can apply immediately to make a positive impact on their business and industry.”

The CIM Marketing Programme for the construction industry includes the CIM Level Three Foundation qualification and combines CIM course material with insight, case studies and practical knowledge provided by construction specialists.  Every individual enrolled will also be working under the guidance of their own mentor, whose role will be to support the student in learning about the wider industry, giving an insight that goes beyond both the classroom and the student’s own workplace.

For more information about CIM’s new Marketing Programme, please visit: http://www.cimacademy.co.uk/qualifications/sector-specific-qualifications/

Chris Daly, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), adds: “A CIM qualification gives a solid grounding for a marketing career and professional marketing is a recognised driver of business growth.  I am delighted that CIM has partnered with the construction sector to address the marketing skills gap and enable new marketers to gain the right skills and behaviours needed to contribute to the growth of an absolutely vital industry.”

If you are interested in finding a job in construction marketing, please find our more here>>

The initiative is supported by the Builders Merchant Federation, Richard Ellithorne, BMF Membership services Director, said: “While the BMF offers a number of merchant specific qualifications designed to help junior and middle managers progress in their careers, until now we have not had a specific marketing qualification within our prospectus.  We are delighted to endorse the CIM Foundation Certificate in Marketing for Construction and believe it will be attractive to both our merchant and supplier members.”