News

In 2016, German manufacturers of construction equipment achieved a turnover of €9.3 billion, an increase of 3% compared to 2015. Of note though is that the same period, global sales of construction equipment declined by 1%. German companies managed to perform better than the world market and develop market share. In 2017, they expect another increase in sales by 3%.

Nepal’s Kathmandu-Tarai highway now looks likely to be built under an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract. This is a revision from the build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) model previously suggested. Nepal's Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has announced the change for the project, which had an estimated cost of US$1.04 billion when put forward in 2015. The detailed project report (DPR) for the highway is likely to be set out by consortium, from India. The Nepalese Governm

Work to replace the Guanape Bridge in Venezuela is now commencing. The existing structure collapsed on the 24th January of this year, injuring eight people, but is too severely damaged to be rebuilt. The bridge was built in 2011 so its collapse has been the subject of some controversy. Building the new two lane structure will cost an estimated US$312 million and should be complete by the middle of 2017.

Revisions to a bypass project in Slovakia will help reduce the construction costs. The Prešov bypass is now being built with just two lanes, which will cut the construction costs by some€200 million. The project was initially expected to cost as much as €900 million and was criticised for its expense. Further plans for a tunnel at the northern end of the bypass are being discussed at present. Meanwhile revisions to the traffic system in Prešov are expected to bring further savings to the construction projec

Construction work is now commencing for a major new bridge project in China. The bridge is being built in Hainan Province and will measure close to 5.7km long when complete. It will link the mainland of Hainan Province with Ruyi Islet. The project is being designed primarily to handle road traffic as well as a tram link, while it will also carry utilities including water, gas, electricity and fibre optic cabling. Lead contractor for the project is China Railway 18th Bureau Group's 2nd Engineering Company. T

Work on a new tunnel and highway link will commence in the second quarter of 2018 in Bosnia. The project is being managed by the country’s road company, Autoceste FbiH. The €550 million Prenj tunnel project will provide a new link between the Konjic-Mostar North road and the Mostar North-Mostar South road.

Construction work on a major urban bridge project will commence in Nigeria’s commercial centre Lagos during this year. A budget of US$2.66 billion has been set for building the Fourth Mainland Bridge, according to the Lagos State Government. The new bridge will be the longest of the bridges connecting Lagos Island to the mainland and will carry four lanes of traffic. Its construction is intended to cut congestion on the existing Eko, Carter and Third Mainland Bridges. Lagos suffers from amongst the heaviest

In Amsterdam widening work is now underway on the A10 motorway project close to Zuidas. The project is expected to take 10 years in all to complete and is being carried out in a bid to cut congestion at peak periods. Costing €990 million, the work is being carried out by a consortium that comprises local firm Heijmans, US company Fluor and the German contractor Hochtief. The project was awarded to the consortium by the Dutch infrastructure board Rijkswatersaat, the local council of Amsterdam, the rail servi

A loan from China will help pay for work on a major highway project in China. The US$326 million loan is being supplied by the Exim Bank of China. This will help pay for Jamaica’s Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project. The funding will also help pay for the extension of the tolled east-west highway from May Pen, Clarendon to Williamsfield, Manchester. In all the highway work is expected to cost $384 million, with Jamaica paying for the remainder from its own budget.

UK exports and imports of construction and earthmoving equipment saw fluctuations in demand during 2016 according to the Construction Equipment Association (CEA). The latest CEA report shows that UK exports of construction and earthmoving equipment showed a modest increase in the fourth quarter of 2016. However the sales ended the year at 1.8% lower than 2015 in weight terms (tonnage of machines), and 7.4% lower in value terms. The USA remained the top destination for exports, but saw reductions of over 20%