Positive outlook for steel construction

Ivor Roberts, BCSA’s new President

Ian Hoppé, BCSA’s new Deputy President

Oliver Tyler

Tom Goldberg

Steel construction output, for small and medium sized projects in the private sector, is expected to see a significant improvement during 2012.

Speaking at the BCSA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), Jack Sanderson, BCSA President, said: “Output fell slightly last year from 926,000t to 919,000t and is expected to remain relatively stable in 2011. We expect output to increase by 4% in 2012 and again by a further 5% the following year, taking us back to around the one million tonnes level by 2013.”

Mr Sanderson also reminded Members of the work the Association has been doing, this includes the joint cooperation with Tata Steel on steel construction market development which is now firmly established.

“During the past year our work on sustainability has been dominated by the Target Zero project,” he said. “This £1M study, which determines the most cost effective combinations of materials and technologies needed to make low and zero carbon buildings is now complete.”

Guidance reports are available at www.targetzero.info covering a variety of building types.

At the AGM it was announced that Ivor Roberts, Managing Director of Nusteel Structures has been elected as Mr Sanderson’s successor as BCSA President. Ian Hoppé, Director at  Rowecord Engineering was also elected as the new Deputy President.

On the same day, the BCSA also hosted its Annual Lunch where Tom Goldberg, former BCSA President and Oliver Tyler, Director at Wilkinson Eyre both gave presentations.

Mr Goldberg gave his views on China and India, and whether these markets were a threat or an opportunity to the UK steel construction sector. Mr Tyler presented some of his favourite structures and explained how they had influenced some of his designs, while also pointing out his views on the good and bad points of steel.