As the UK emerges from its third lockdown, construction and the long-ranging shadow of Brexit has bounced back strongly, with a boom in repair and maintenance work which helped finally push construction activity past pre-covid levels. But amid all the good news, the ongoing materials shortages loom large as an issue threatening the sector’s recovery. There are concerns that they could put the brakes on construction’s continued recovery, so what steps can we take as an industry to best combat these shortages, and what should we all be aware of?
Join our panel of industry experts to discuss the factors contributing to the big issue facing construction as well as what can be done to help the sector avoid any further halts.
BBC News
By Simon Read
image copyrightGetty Images
Building materials are running short in the UK, leaving DIY projects in doubt and building companies under pressure.
The Construction Leadership Council has warned that cement, some electrical components, timber, steel and paints are all in short supply.
It blamed unprecedented levels of demand that are set to continue.
The Federation of Master Builders said that some building firms may have to delay projects and others could be forced to close as a result. Small, local builders are being hit hardest by material shortages and price rises, said chief executive Brian Berry.
CLC committee raises concerns on material shortages 26 May, 2021 SHARE John Newcomb, CEO of the Builders Merchants Federation and Peter Caplehorn, CEO of the Construction Products Association, co-chairs of the Construction Leadership Council’s Product Availability working group have issued a statement.
Activity in the UK construction sector, already high at the start of the year, has been very robust and picked up sharply from the beginning of March. New housing and repair, maintenance and improvement (RMI), together with infrastructure, have led the way. We now also see increasingly strong performance in the commercial and industrial sub-sectors, applying further strain on the supply chain.
bags of cement in a house under construction
Supplies of bagged cement and certain electronic components are “growing areas of concern”, the Construction Leadership Council has said.
The CLC said in its latest update that product availability is worsening, as it previously warned was likely to happen. Supplies are likely to face constraints for the next six months due to strong national and global demand. Activity in the UK has increased since March, it added, with the previously subdued commercial and industrial sectors seeing workloads pick up.
A shortage of haulage drivers and increased demand from the consumer-goods sector is also making it harder to find transportation for items, the CLC said.