Construction in the South East & London 2016 and beyond

Total construction output across the UK between Q2 2014 and Q2 2015 was almost £140 billion and London and the South East accounted for 35.8%* of this figure.

Looking forward London and the South East are expected to see a combined annual construction output growth of 6.7% from 2015-2019. Driven by a mixture of new works and repair and maintenance, the region remains a focal point for all professionals and suppliers targeting this burgeoning industry.

The pipeline in the South East & London

The South East will continue to benefit from the on-going £2bn Paramount theme park development on the Swanscombe Peninsula and will also benefit from strong growth in both the public housing and public non-housing sectors. ProCure 21+ projects under which NHS organisation can commission will also provide a steady pipeline of work throughout the SE and London. 

Additionally there is £122m funding in place from the Affordable Housing Programme for development from 2015 to 2018. A little further afield there is Borden, Hampshire, the proposed £250m eco town and the redevelopment of Broadmoor Hospital  at a cost of £298m.**

“By 2019, construction employment is forecast to reach 400,000 in the South East.”**

London will remain buoyant with the continuation of infrastructure projects such as the Victoria station upgrade, Thameslink and Crossrail  - all on course to be completed in in 2018, along with the start of the Thames tideway project in 2016. Large, shorter-term retail projects including the £1bn expansion of the Westfield mall and of the redevelopment of Selfridges, Oxford Street will also ensure construction activity in the capital remains high.

*Source – Scape Group Construction Industry Tracker October 2015
** Source – CITB “Construction Skills Network 2015-2019

Join leading construction companies and come along to the Expo this October

Welcoming nearly 3,000 businesses in 2015, the Construction Expo saw many leading firms in attendance. 

Construction Expo 2016 

Construction Expo provides the industry with a highly focused gateway to learn, network and capitalise on the region’s major construction opportunities.

2016 will see speakers from some of the largest main contractors discussing current projects and future opportunities, one of the only “free” meet the buyer events open to both exhibitors and visitors, a comprehensive programme of CPD-approved workshops along with displays of the latest product innovations.

Construction Expo 2016 offers your business a great way to network with other professionals form the South East and across the UK. Find out more about exhibiting by clicking here, or call Penny on 01732 758530. 

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If you are interested in exhibiting please click here. To become a sponsor call 01732 758 530. 

The region’s largest construction conference & exhibition returns on the 7th October

Construction Expo is the region’s largest construction, engineering and design conference and exhibition. In 2014 it attracted over 2,200 visitors, more than 180 businesses exhibited and many major house builders and contractors attended.

Co-located with the Manufacturing & Electronic Expo at the Kent Event Centre near Maidstone, the Construction Expo, sponsored for the second year by Lee Evans Partnership, will see over 200 exhibitors showcasing their products and services. Workshops will focus on social media for the construction industry and BIM as well as two sessions hosted by the RICS.

Free Meet the Buyer

Alongside this there will again be one of the UK’s only completely free “Meet the Buyer” events hosting 22 of the UK’s leading contractors and clients. Including the likes of Kier, Amey, Skanksa, Wilmott Dixon and Balfour Beatty this event offers businesses the rare opportunity to meet directly with the buying team of this large companies.

Conference programme

Lord Digby Jones is the keynote speaker this year and the former Minister of State for UK Trade & Investment will be looking at the tangible opportunities available to the construction sector and the importance of exporting to the UK and its position in the world market place.

Jones is joined in the conference programme by Dr David Hancock, the Government’s Head of Construction who will be looking at topics including after the Government Construction Strategy 2011, improving project capability and the future of Government Construction. Neil Edwards, Chief Executive of the Builders Conference will also be attending and looking at the billions of pounds of projects currently coming online. As well as these specialist speakers there will be an update on the progress of the Paramount Resort Project at Swanscombe including further details on supply chain events scheduled for November.

Jo James, Chief Executive of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce comments “With only a few weeks to go we are very much looking forward to Construction Expo 2015. I truly believe it will be a highly productive day for all those involved and as the South East continues to be the hub of the construction industry in the UK this event is a must attend for anyone related to the sector.”

About the Construction Expo:

The Construction Expo offers more than purely an arena to exhibit in, it connects businesses, offering high quality, targeted and relevant speakers, workshops and advice that will create tangible results for local, regional and national businesses. Run by the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, a 1,200 strong membership organisation, whose remit is to develop a business environment that is conducive to growth and success across the county. The 2015 event is on the 7th October at the Kent event Centre, Detling, Maidstone.

For more information please contact Carole Black on 01732 758530.

E: bookings@kentinvictachamber.co.uk

W: constructionexpouk.co.uk

With the UK house building industry buoyant, a recent report has shown that the market has grown at its fastest level in over a decade. The July data from the Markit/CIPS Construction PMi report has shown that the index has, in fact, dropped slightly but that it was still far higher than the City’s initial expectations. The figures show that UK construction firms are feeling their most confident since before the downturn and that they are increasingly sure of the sustainability of this upturn.

In light of this continued development of the sector the Construction Expo on the 8^th October is once again offering a Meet the Buyer area. Offering sub contractors the opportunity to meet with some of the country’s leading national contractors and organisations to discuss opportunities and the possibility of being able to work together. This is an exciting way for smaller firms to start to build a relationship with some of the most recognised names in the construction industry.

These Meet the Buyer events have number of aims in mind:

• Offering you face to face, timed appointments with larger, national contractors and businesses, companies that you might not be able to access normally.
• Saving you time by enabling
  you to meet with multiple contacts all in one place, on one day.
• Offering you the opportunity to speak directly with key personnel from the business - bypassing gatekeepers.
• Pre-set appointments meaning that you have time to fully prepare your content and portfolio, tailoring your pitch to the business you are meeting.

So far this year contractors such as Wilmott Dixon, Jenner, Skanska, Kier, WW Martin and Coombs have confirmed, service provider organisations such as Kent County Council and Medway Council and Initial are attending and luxury car manufacturer Aston Martin also has a slot. 

As one of the only completely free Meet the Buyer events in the UK take advantage of this great opportunity and book now to get your company in front of these influential businesses.