黑洞社区

Bouygues UK chief executive Madani Sow has given a scathing critique of the state of the UK construction industry.

Speaking at the Construction Industry Summit in central London, Sow said it took 50% longer to deliver projects in the UK than in France and that the supply chain was 鈥渧ery complicated鈥�. He added that he was exasperated at the waste of materials and time.

鈥淸It鈥檚] not right to have projects delivered late,鈥� he said.

Discussing the need for contractors to be engaged at a much earlier stage in projects to encourage growth, Sow warned this would only be possible and sensible if contractors had the skills to be involved at a more innovative stage.

He added that contractors 鈥渟hould deliver something鈥� themselves and not subcontract out the entire project to the supply chain, something, he said, France-based Bouygues makes sure they do.

Sow said the overall quality of the delivered product was better in the UK than in France, but felt UK contractors 鈥渓ag behind鈥� their French counterparts.

Bouygues, he said, entered the UK market because the country is business-friendly and an attractive investment environment, but said no growth in the industry would continue 鈥渋f no solution is found鈥� to the skills shortage.

Suzannah Nichol, chief executive at Build UK, also told the summit that to 鈥済et a better outcome we all need to stretch a bit鈥�, while Mike Putnam, chief executive of Skanska, called for the industry to work more collaboratively.

This was echoed by Dr David Hancock, head of construction for the Government Construction Team, who said that in constrained fiscal times it was 鈥渁bout collaboration not money鈥� and delivering 鈥渕ore for less鈥�.

He added that the government had 鈥渘ot lost sight鈥� of the large part the construction industry plays in the UK economy and was continuing to 鈥渦pskill鈥� as it seeks to 鈥渂e a better client鈥�.