Posted September 29, 2000
End of CCT good, but not good enough 
The BSA responded to Alan Milburn’s announcement at the Labour Party
conference on Wednesday by saying the ending of Compulsory Competitive
Tendering will not in itself be enough to improve standards in the NHS.
University environment week
Leeds Metropolitan University is holding an Environment Week next month
to highlight its environmental impact and demonstrate how it can be minimised.
Real estate site and educational consortium
in joint on-line venture
Business-to-business application service provider RealEstate.com and the
American educator’s consortium Inner Circle Education have agreed
on a one-year, multifaceted co-marketing arrangement aiming to benefit
current and prospective real estate industry professionals.
Posted September 28, 2000
Regus files for IPO
After a false start last year, international serviced office provider
Regus is finally set to float in both London and New York.
Monster office in fun environment
Global online careers network, Monster.com, has opened a new 2,300 sq
m (24,000 sq ft) European Sales Centre in Glasgow.
Bovis Lend Lease FM wins Barbour prize at FM Expo
Brian Burt, Senior Facilities Manager at Bovis Lend Lease came away from
his visit to last week's FM Expo with more than just useful information
on the industry.
Posted September 27, 2000
FPDSavills and Trammell Crow Company extend joint venture
Savills plc and Trammell Crow Company, including the associated outsourcing
joint venture Trammell Crow Savills (TCS), have extended their coverage
to the Asia Pacific Region.
Training central to businesses
Training, training, training’ is to be the main theme of the first
policy manifesto published by the Business Services Association.
Fire causes UK businesses £2m a day losses
Research carried out by Continental Research and sponsored by BT RedCARE
shows that 36% of small UK businesses are unaware of their legal obligations
to organise a workplace fire risk assessment, resulting in £2m daily
fire related losses for businesses.
Posted September 26, 2000
Arlington goes online
Business park developer Arlington Securities threw down the gauntlet yesterday
to other property companies with e-commerce plans, by announcing both
the creation of a new business division and the roll-out of a Customer
Portal.
Profits improve at Chesterton
International property advisory and facilities management group Chesterton
International reports pre-tax profits up 24% at £5m in its preliminary
results for the year to 30 June 2000.
Williams Lea wins seven-year £210m contract with AXA
Williams Lea has been awarded a £210m seven-year contract by AXA.
Williams Lea is to assume responsibility for the management of all AXA’s
print production that supports its insurance activities in the UK.
Posted September 25, 2000
"Business as usual" for Sulzer's FM arm
Following the decision by Swiss Engineering conglomerate Sulzer to put
five of its operating divisions on the market as part of a radical restructuring
a spokesman for Sulzer Infra's Infrastructure Solutions division has re-affirmed
their commitment to customers.
Cushman & Wakefield in facilities e-commerce
alliance
Global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield, has partnered
with b2b e-commerce company Zeborg, to attack the $190 billion facilities
operations market in the US.
MWB turns to ttml for comms expertise
Serviced office provider MWB BusinessExchange has appointed ttml, a specialist
telecommunications company, to provide state-of-the-art communications
and technology throughout its UK network.
Posted September 22, 2000
NEWS EXTRA Credit
Suisse scoops Office of the Year Awards
The offices of Credit Suisse First Boston at Canary Wharf were awarded
top honours in both the Facilities Management Team and Purpose Built Office
categories of the BIFM’s Office of the Year Awards
Johnson Controls extends partnership with CSC
Johnson Controls’ Integrated Facility Management UK division has
extended its international contract with Computer Sciences Corporation
(CSC), reinforcing their global presence.
Growing figures for Caxton
As reported yesterday, Kier Group’s half-year results showed continued
growth for the company.
Jarvis preferred bidder for £189m PFI project
Jarvis Projects has been named preferred bidder by Wirral Borough Council
in a PFI scheme with a whole life value of over £189m.
Posted September 21, 2000
Work and home meet at FM Expo
Jeremy Myerson, Director of the Helen Hamlyn Research Centre, discussed
the practical as well as the psychological issues of working from home
in the FM Inter@ctive arena at FM Expo yesterday.
EuroTelecom wins £1.75m FM contract
with Jarvis
Jarvis has awarded a seven year, £1.75m facilities management contract
to EuroTelecom Communications for IT and telecommunications services at
the Army Foundation College in Harrogate.
US firm launches e-commerce joint venture in UK
Bidcom, a US engineering, building and property e-business service provider,
has linked up with four UK professional services and construction companies:
KPMG Consulting, Wates Group, Carillion and EC Harris, to launch Bidcom’s
on-line collaboration service ProjectFirst.
Continued growth for Kier
Kier Group plc has announced a continued increase in profits and earnings
for the eighth consecutive year.
Posted September 20, 2000
Pictures at an exhibition
FM Expo got off to a flying start at Olympia yesterday with Fish Racing
and the Rocettes dancers!
Outstanding orders boost Carillion
A bulging orderbook is leading Carillion to predict a healthy outlook,
despite losses at its Crown House Engineering subsidiary.
New guidance for Health & Safety regulations
Poor planning, badly managed projects and clients picking the lowest price
are blamed for the 22% rise in the number of construction fatalities last
year to 79.
Posted September 19, 2000
Sulzer Infra to be sold as part of radical
restructuring
Sulzer, the Swiss engineering conglomerate, is to sell the majority of
its operations in order to focus on its technology businesses.
Project Jaguar partners announced
The Carillion led consortium, now named Monteray, which is preferred bidder
for BT’s facilities management outsourcing initiative Project Jaguar
has announced the two companies which will become Regional Service Providers
(RSPs) alongside the consortium partners themselves.
TUPE Update: Property issues 
Although primarily an employment issue, TUPE (The Transfer of Undertakings
(Protection of Employment) Regulations) continues to affect property specialists.
Regus to announce £1bn double float
Regus is understood to be announcing a dual flotation on the London stock
market and Nasdaq, which is expected to value the company at over £1bn.
Posted September 18, 2000
ISS to acquire UK FM company
The UK arm of Danish services company ISS is in negotiations to buy a
substantial UK FM company. It is believed that the target is an independent
FM business with a turnover of around £80m.
FM Expo opens for business
The UK’s leading workplace solutions event opens its doors at Olympia
on Tuesday. Supported exclusively by the BIFM, FM Expo 2000 is the annual
focal point in the facilities management calendar.
Data traffic reduces road congestion
In a week when people's ability to travel freely was curtailed by both
demonstrations on Britain's roads and fuel shortages, one of the core
messages of the Telework 2000 conference had even greater impact.
Posted September 15, 2000
Met. Office relocation shortlist
Four locations and three bidding consortia are on the shortlist for the
Met.Office relocation
People not technology makes telework
Speakers at this week’s Telework 2000 conference stressed the HR
and organisational aspects of new ways of working, rather than the technology.
Turner FM wins three contracts
Turner FM has been awarded million-pound three-year contracts with Crown
Cork & Seal, British Gypsum-Isover Ltd and the Multiple Sclerosis
Society.
Reliance Security looks to FM
Addressing Wednesday’s Annual General Meeting, Brian Kingham, Chairman
of Reliance Security Group said the company would benefit in future years
from current contract gains:
Posted September 14, 2000
Telework 2000 opens in London
Teleworking allows and requires new organisational structures which new
technology makes possible, said Will Hutton, chief executive of the Industrial
Society,
Profits up for Tilbury Douglas
Tilbury Douglas has reported a rise in pre-tax profit for the six months
to June 30, to £17.2m from £13.2m on turnover of £449m,
up 36% from £331m.
US office space database partners with consultants group
The International Guild of Professional Consultants, IGPC, a group that
provides "consulting4consultants," is now offering its members
and other visitors to its web site www.igpc.org a real estate database
service
Posted September 13, 2000
Local authority e-commerce bidders meet
Over 150 people attended the recent Bidders' Conference for a new local
authority e-commerce initiative, the <idea> marketplace
Amey profits from improved margin
Amey plc has improved pre-tax profits by 41% to £13.72m on turnover
up 32% at £298.3m for the 6 months to the end of June. Average operating
profit margin improved by 40% to 6.5%.
IXEurope expands with Dusseldorf co-location
facility
IXEurope continues its aggressive expansion plan with a new IXDatacentre
in Dusseldorf.
Posted September 12, 2000
Sainsbury's restructures property functions
to maximise value
Sainsbury's is to restructure its property portfolio to maximise the value
of its £4.5bn UK supermarket estate.
Interserve wins FM at Eli Lilly
Interserve fm has been selected by Eli Lilly and Company Limited as the
preferred supplier for a £10m, 3 + 2 year facilities management
contract at its Speke manufacturing facility.
Stiell in pole position for Abbey National
FM
Expanding facilities management company Stiell has been selected as preferred
bidder to provide FM services to Abbey National in the south-east of England.
New deputy director for Construction Best
Practice Programme
Senior project manager at Kvaerner Construction, Peter Jones, has been
appointed deputy director at the Construction Best Practice Programme
(CBPP).
Posted September 11, 2000
Mapeley preferred bidder for Abbey National
estate
Mapeley has been named as preferred bidder to acquire and manage Abbey
National Group’s entire property estate for a term believed to be
20 years
Naval deal for Building & Property
Building & Property Defence (a subsidiary of Building & Property
Group) has agreed an 11-year contract with Flagship Training Limited (FTL),
a consortium which delivers naval and management training for the Naval
Recruiting and Training Agency (NRTA).
Technology showcase at FM Expo
FM Inter@ctive, FM Expo’s programme of free walk-in seminars, will
give visitors to the show a tour of information and communication technologies
which are already changing workplaces and facilities management.
Skanska on Dow Jones Sustainability Index
Skanska is listed for the second time in the Dow Jones Sustainability
Index of companies committed to sustainable development.
Posted September 8, 2000
Plan for Disability Discrimination Act
GVA Grimley Building Consultancy advises companies to keep The Disability
Discrimination Act 1995 Part III at the forefront of their minds when
planning future property holdings and businesses.
HMS Nelson extends contract with Amey
Amey plc has secured a two-year extension of its £4.5m a year contract
with HMS Nelson in Portsmouth. The contract, which started in September
1996 has been extended to run until August 2003.
BMI signs up with European removal groups
Britannia Movers International (BMI), the UK's largest independent removals
group, has joined forces with four European removals groups to provide
customers with a seamless, end-to-end service
ABB Building Technologies appoints new MD
ABB Building Technologies, has appointed Norwegian Peer-Hakon Jenson as
managing director. David Lamb, the MD for five years, will become business
development director operating across Europe.
Posted September 7, 2000
B&P’s FM success
Building & Property announces a forward order book of nearly £2bn.
The company has won a number of contracts during the first half of 2000
and experienced an increase in fee income from new business, exceeding
100%, during 1999/2000.
A code of practice for passive smoking
The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) proposes the introduction of an
Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) for passive smoking in offices.
Cushman & Wakefield buys Japananese property
advisor
International real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has acquired
Japan Property Advisors K.K. (JPA), a Tokyo-based commercial property
advisor.
Posted September 6, 2000
Kunick plc wins £33m FM contract for flagship
sports centres
As the Olympics get underway Sport England, the organisation responsible
for leading the nation's sports development programmes, has appointed
the Kunick subsidiary
Growth at home and abroad for WSP
International property and construction consultant WSP has announced record
interim results for the six months ended June 2000.
New business for Jarvis UPP
The University of Luton has appointed Jarvis University Partnership Programme
(UPP) as its preferred partner for student accommodation services outsourcing.
Posted September 5, 2000
Five bids for BBC property portfolio
Five consortia have submitted bids to manage the BBC’s £500m
property portfolio
Alstom and Thomson-CSF merge FM operations
Two French companies, Alstom and Thomson-CSF, are to merge the facility
management activities of subsidiaries, creating a new company with annual
sales of over EUR150m (£91.8m)
Sustainable development and recycling
The Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment (ACBE) has issued
a draft director's briefing paper on sustainable development.
Posted September 4, 2000
Jaguar on track say BT and Carillion
Both BT and Carillion have denied reports in the construction press that
the £500m Project Jaguar is in difficulties.
Building & Property in £6.25m PFI contract
Building & Property has gained a £6.25m contract with The Trustees of
St GenevieveÕs School in Northern Ireland.
Glasgow schools get largest European loan
The European Investment Bank, the European Union's long-term financing
institution, is lending £105m to modernise 29 schools in Glasgow.
Web brings visitors to FM Expo
Over 1,500 people have so far pre-registered for this month's FM Expo
at the event's web site
Posted September 1, 2000
Serco reports half year profits up 20 percent
Management services provider Serco reported pre-tax profit up 20.6% at
£18.6m on turnover 16.2% higher at £454.9m for the six months
to June 2000.
Services boost Amec profits
Amec’s interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2000 show
pre-tax profit up18% at £32.4m on increased turnover of £1,690m.
FM company CFI joins Documentum
US company Computerized Facility Integration (CFI) is to offer FM solutions
based on the Documentum content management platform.