In a historic vote for “joined up thinking” in the construction industry 28 major firms have joined Build UK, giving the formation of the new trade body the go ahead.
Build UK will be a new name and a new direction for an amalgamation of the former UK Contractors’ Group (UKCG) and the National Specialist Contractors’ Council (NSCC), whose members voted to merge and form the trade body this week.
Set to launch on 1st September 2015, the newly formed Build UK has been created to encourage more “joined up thinking” in the construction industry, in a bid to improve productivity and fairness in the sector.
Led by former NSCC chief executive Suzannah Nichol, with NSCC president Kevin Louch holding joint chairman position with UKCG chairman James Wates, Build UK will unite 28 of the UK’s biggest contractors and 40 trade associations under a common umbrella body, which will represent over 11,500 specialist contractors.
Both the NSCC and the UKCG claim to share common ground which makes this historic merger a potentially voice-boosting move for British contractors. From procurement and health & safety, to image and skills, both former organisations feel they concur on a majority of issues which should help to make the join-up a smooth transition.
Industry and government alike have welcomed the launch of Build UK, heralding a more powerful, connected voice for contractors, which is predicted to become a strong lobbying force in the construction sector. Minister for Business, Innovation & Skills Nick Bowles was quick to approve the formation of Build UK stating: “For businesses and government an investment in construction is an investment in improving UK productivity. The creation of Build UK is a very welcome development and places them in an influential position to continue improving performance across the sector.”
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