Wednesday 13th April 2011 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Small building companies in Wales suffered another decline in work during the first quarter of 2011 according to the latest State of Trade Survey from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), the largest trade association in the UK construction industry.
Results from the first quarter (Q1) of 2011 from the FMB’s State of Trade Survey, the only survey of small and medium sized building companies, show that the Welsh SME construction sector has now seen three years of declining conditions.
Richard Jenkins, Director of FMB Wales, said:
“Although conditions are slightly better than they were in the final quarter of last year, they are still heavily negative suggesting that small builders in Wales are continuing to struggle.
The first quarter results have confirmed three years of declining conditions for small firms in Wales and this is why we are lobbying hard for the policies in our manifesto for the Welsh Assembly elections, Building for Success.”
Jenkins continued
“In tough times like these it is more important than ever to target resources where they will be most effective. This is why FMB Wales is campaigning for the investment in the green technology required to decarbonise our housing stock and secure our energy supply; campaigning for the investment in skills and training our young people need so that they can help drive the recovery; and campaigning for reform of inefficient public procurement processes so that Welsh taxpayers get more bricks and less paper for their money.”
Jenkins concluded:
“The construction industry is well placed to lead a home-grown recovery and is at the heart of everything that Wales hopes to achieve in the years ahead including more homes, improved transport, better schools and hospitals, and improved workplaces.”
