The UK construction industry opened 2014 with its best month for almost six-and-a-half years, according to PMI™ data for January – with house building, commercial activity and civil engineering all see near-record growth rates.

The outlook for the specialist sector is increasingly positive according to the latest NSCC State of Trade Survey, which shows a record high of 60% of respondents are anticipating an increased workload for the upcoming year.

Northern Ireland Water has awarded a £38 million water and wastewater pumps framework contract to a total of six suppliers which will run for between two to six years.

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. has announced that TASK JV, a joint venture between its recent acquisition Sinclair Knight Merz and Thiess, have signed an alliance contract with Water Corporation of Western Australia to design, construct and commission the East Rockingham Wastewater Treatment Plant near Perth, Australia.

The Iraqi Ministry for Municipalities and Public Works has chosen Veolia to build and operate for five years a desalination plant in Basra, Iraq. For Veolia, this contract represents cumulated sales of $115 million.

Companies from the UK,  Denmark, Germany and across Europe showed strong interest in the two new contracts for the Fehmarnbelt tunnel at yesterday’s Industry Day hosted by Femern A/S.