Lead times: January-March 2011

01 / GOING UP

Rotary piling
General joinery

02 / STAYING LEVEL

Sprinklers
Pre-cast piling
Concrete works
Structural steel frames
Cladding (reconstituted stone)
Cladding (natural materials)
Metal panellised cladding
Curtain walling
Atrium roofs
Asphalt/membrane roof finishes
Profiled metal roof finishes
Facade cleaning equipment
Brickwork
Blockwork
Metal doors
Drylining
Demountable partitions
Specialist joinery
Raised floors
Suspended ceilings
Architectural metalwork
Decorative wall covering
Internal stone floor and wall finish
Non-standard passenger lifts
Escalators
Electrical packages
Ductwork
Security systems
Controls
Logistics services
Soft floor finishes
Mechanical packages
Hard landscaping

03 / LEAD TIMES SUMMARY

The reported increase in workload over the past six months has resulted in an increase in rotary piling lead times by one to six weeks. Pre-cast piling remains stable at five weeks.

The previously reported increase in concrete works enquiries has led to increased workload, but lead times remain at seven weeks.

Structural steel frames lead times have held at 14 weeks having fluctuated over the previous three quarters. Enquiry and workload levels have increased and some steel sections are becoming in short supply.

Re-constituted stone cladding remains at 21 weeks. Despite increased enquiry levels for natural material cladding last quarter, lead times remain at 28 weeks. Metal panellised system lead times remain at 27 weeks. Curtain walling system lead times have remained at 31 weeks for a year.

Atrium roof lead times have remained stable at 27 weeks for more than two years.

The reduced level of activity for over a year on asphalt /membrane roof finishes is enabling lead times to remain at six weeks and profiled metal lead times stay at 12 weeks. Contractors are reporting longer lead times on obtaining some samples and aluminium sections but this is being absorbed by the overall lead in programme.

Despite contractors being busier with work and enquiries, facade cleaning equipment lead times remain at 30 weeks.

Brickwork and blockwork lead times remain stable at four and six weeks respectively. Both trades are reporting higher levels of enquiries but do not forecast an increase in lead times in the next quarter.

Drylining lead times remain stable at eight weeks and levels of enquiries remain high and metal doors remain at five weeks.

Although components are reported to be on longer lead times, demountable partitions lead times stay stable at six weeks.

General joinery lead times have increased by five weeks to 15 weeks. This is the first increase for over a year. Specialist joinery has not changed since the increase to 17 weeks nine months ago.

Raised floors lead times remain static at six weeks, with no change forecast.

The previously reported increase in suspended ceiling work appears to have subsided and lead times remain at 16 weeks.

Architectural metalwork lead times remain at 12 weeks and decorative wall covering lead times remain at four weeks.

Internal stone floor and wall finish lead times have stabilised at 23 weeks for over a year.

Following the soft floor finish increases last quarter, lead times have stabilised at eight weeks.

Non-standard passenger lift lead times remain at 26 weeks with no changes reported.

No change is reported for escalator lead times, which remain at 24 weeks.

Electrical package lead times have stabilised at 14 weeks and mechanical packages at 18 weeks following the increases last quarter.

Sprinklers have stabilised at eight weeks following last quarter’s reduction due to improved mobilisation time, while ductwork is at eight weeks with no change forecast.

Security systems lead times have remained static at five weeks for over two years and controls at 15 weeks for over a year.

Hard landscaping lead times remain at eight weeks but is currently busier than six months ago. Logistics services lead times remain at five weeks.

Almost all contractors remain busier with their level of enquiries, mostly due to longer bid lists or clients requesting re-engineered solutions to reduce costs rather than an increase in the number of projects. Also many contractors have had to reduce their staff levels, which increases the workload on those remaining.

Data capture and analysis by Mace Business School. For more details on the article and the contributors, please visit www.macebusinessschool.co.uk/foresite